Finders Keepers
by snowdroplilyrose
Summary: AU.
1. Chapter 1

Finders Keepers  
Chapter 1

Jackson stepped bleary eyed into the shower, his mouth gaping open in a weary yawn. The hot water and the aptly named 'Energiser' shower gel dutifully washing away all remnants of sleep, readying him for another day's graft.

Once dressed, he did a quick tidy-up of his flat, starting with his bed. A plump-up of the pillows and a shake of the duvet and it was done. It needed the minimal of attention these days because all he did in it of late was sleep, his last relationship having ended a few months back.

Satisfied he was leaving the place in good order; he picked his keys up off the kitchen counter and made for the door. A sigh escaped his lips as he walked into the outside world, he was all too miserably aware that the flat would be just as quiet and empty when he returned to it later that day.

It had been his idea to break up with Harley, and he no regrets about making that decision. As far as he could see the relationship just wasn't going anywhere. Granted the sex had been great, but he wanted more than that from a relationship, much more. Jackson wanted it to develop, to grow, to deepen emotionally. Basically what he wanted was love and long-term commitment, he knew some people would say that at 22 he was too young to settle down but he was more than ready to do just that.

Harley and he had clicked, had got on really well. Despite that, there was no emotional spark between them and as much as he liked Harley, Jackson knew he would never fall in love with him; the chemistry just wasn't there. They'd shared in each other physically, but he'd never thought of them as lovers, it really was 'just sex' where they were concerned.

They had parted on friendly terms, Harley apparently having viewed their time together the same way he did. It had been fun while it lasted, a good memory but one that would fade into oblivion in time.

His ex, never one to let the grass grow under his feet, was already seeing someone else, but the same couldn't be said for him. So far he hadn't met anyone he liked enough to want to see them again. On nights out he'd chatted up the men he fancied, but had been left disappointed each time, the initially attraction waning on getting to know them a little better.

Was he too fussy? Too particular? He was beginning to think he was.

Was he ever going to meet Mr. Right? Was his soulmate really out there somewhere? Jackson kept telling himself he was, that he had to be, because he would settle for nothing less.

His personal life might be sadly lacking one very important element, but work wise he couldn't complain, business was booming. It was just a pity he couldn't be in two places at once. He currently had two jobs on the go and so was having to work long hours to keep up. Today was Sunday and he planned on working through most of it, treating it like any other working day.

Brier Beck, the old and dilapidated farmhouse he was currently in the process of renovating, was situated in a fairly remote spot. With no neighbours to object to noise and disruption he would be able to get on with things today, and hopefully end up a few days ahead of schedule.

A day off would have been nice, he could really do with one as his workload was proving exhausting. But, seen as he was lacking a significant other to share some quality time with, he'd hauled his aching bones out of bed and told himself it was better he do something to help his bank balance than mope around the flat. And mope he would have done, he just felt so very lonely right now.

Not the ordinary sort of lonely. No, he had plenty of friends to socialise with, and he could have gone to watch a footy match with a group of them today. Unfortunately their company wasn't what he wanted or needed right now. What he wanted and needed was some emotional warmth, some tenderness, a connection, a bond, someone he could truly share life with.

It was just after seven when Jackson reached his place of work, the roads had been quiet, all but deserted. Once he'd turned down Brier Lane, he knew he'd seen the last of civilisation, that he would only have himself to talk to. That was probably a good thing too because he really wasn't the best of company these days.

Unlocking the farmhouse's front door he stepped into the building's musty smelling hallway, he was still to tackle this part of the house and wasn't looking forward to doing so. Like the rest of the rooms it had been sorely neglected, but this particular area lacked light and its wooden panelled walls added to the gloom. It had an eerie feel to it too, and although Jackson didn't really believe in ghosts he was certain if he was to ever see one it would be in there.

Having finished the upstairs Jackson was now working on the kitchen, and he was enjoying doing that. It was a typical farmhouse kitchen, large in size with a low beamed ceiling, stone floor and an aging Aga in the corner of the room. Even in a state of disrepair it had a cosy feel to it. Tony, the owner wanted to spruce it up without losing any of its character or charm. It seemed the property he'd inherited would see him quids in if he transformed it into a luxury holiday cottage. Not that Tony was short of cash, not if the car he was driving was anything to go by. Jackson liked the man; he was friendly, and more importantly stuck rigidly to their agreement on payments. Not all his clients had been so reliable when it came to coughing up the readies, and like everyone else he needed to eat. Knowing how remote the place was Tony had also provided a few basic essentials for his use. Jackson had certainly made good use of the kettle, fridge and microwave when here. It was the kitchen he made a beeline for now, intent on making himself a mug of tea, his first of the day.

Rounding the kitchen door Jackson's eyes were immediately drawn to something he hadn't been expecting to see, something that shouldn't have been there, that had no right being there in the kitchen. The something being a someone, and that someone was curled up on the floor, asleep.

Jackson's initial surprise swiftly turned to anger, "Oi!" His voice echoed around the otherwise silent room. As intended it startled the trespasser into wakefulness and then up onto his feet.

As a dazed set of eyes stared back at him Jackson demanded "What're you doing in here? This is private property?"

"Nothing. I just..."

"Just what?" He wanted an answer and when his question was met by silence he pulled his mobile phone out of his pocket saying, "I should call the police..."

"No!"

"Then tell me what you're doing in here?" He had an obligation to his client, he had to follow this through, get to the bottom of it and make sure it didn't happen again.

"I ...I needed somewhere to sleep."

The anger that had enveloped Jackson on seeing the stranger was now rapidly dispersing. He was starting to think past the unauthorised presence, and was suddenly  
interested in the individual himself. Why had he no bed to go to?

For the first time he was really seeing the other man and as he studied his face Jackson realised he was a fair bit younger than he was, sixteen or seventeen maybe. He couldn't fail to notice how good looking he was, how blue his eyes were. He found he was actually more than a little attracted to him!

Jackson was thrown by the realization. It wasn't right was it? He was just a kid, a kid who was obviously in some kind of trouble; why else would he be sleeping rough?

"I thought the place was empty..."

"And that makes it alright does it? " Not in his eyes it didn't.

"No. I thought I'd be gone before anyone came, that no one would know. I'll go now and..."

The lad was edging towards the door but Jackson wasn't prepared to just let him go. "How'd you get in?" He'd shut all the windows and locked all outside doors the night before. The farmhouse might be in the back of beyond but as the lad's very presence proved that didn't guarantee its security.

More silence but this time it was accompanied by a look of unease, of guilt. That confirmed his suspicions but Jackson wasn't satisfied with that, he wanted the lad to admit to what he'd done, "Well?

"How'd you think?"

The guilt was gone, replaced by a cockiness Jackson didn't like, the lad needed reminding he was the one in the wrong here, "So I do need to call the police!"

"Go on then!"

"Breaking and entering is a crime…"

"I wasn't going to steal anything. I told you, I just needed somewhere to sleep."

The lad wasn't sounding so tough now, his bravado seemingly having deserted him. Jackson knew he was genuine, that he'd acted out of desperation, so what did he do with him now? Let him walk away and forget about him? Or did he try to help him?

"Alright. I believe you."

"You're not calling the police?"

"No."

"So I can go?"

Jackson didn't think the lad seemed in any hurry to leave and that proved to be the deciding factor, "Unless you want a drink, I was just going to make one."

"Yeah, thanks."

There'd been no hesitation and it had Jackson wonder when the lad last had something to eat, "You hungry?"

"Yeah."

Again no hesitation but the lad had looked a little embarrassed on making the admission.

"A pie do you?" He had several of those in the fridge, it wasn't a conventional breakfast by any means but it was the best he could do.

"Thanks."

As he waited for the kettle to boil and the microwave to ping he was all too aware that an uncomfortable silence had fallen around the room, well what were you supposed to say in such situations? Did he make small talk or did he come right out and ask his guest just what was going on with him? After a little thought on the matter he decided it was probably best to take it slowly, to start with the obvious, "What's your name?"

"Aaron."

tbc


	2. Chapter 2

Finders Keepers  
Chapter 2

Brier Beck's kitchen didn't benefit from a table but it did contain a couple of rickety old chairs. Jackson and Aaron had sat on them to drink their tea. Aaron had devoured the meat and potato pie given him with such relish that Jackson had warmed him up another one, certain the lad hadn't eaten in days. His concern for Aaron's welfare grew and so did his sense of helplessness, he didn't know how best to deal with the situation, he just knew it wasn't something he could ignore. He'd been wary of jumping in with any pointed questions, but pussyfooting around was getting him nowhere, in the half hour they'd sat there Aaron had given nothing away. It was time for the direct approach, "Have you got somewhere to sleep tonight?"

"I'll be alright."

Aaron had avoided giving him a straight answer, why couldn't he have just said 'no'? "Aaron..."

"Is this your place?"

Jackson saw the suddenly posed question for what it was, a ploy to change the subject, to move the attention away from Aaron. "No, I'm doing it up for the owner. It's what I do; I'm a builder by trade. How about you? Are you working or are you still at school.

"No."

Aaron's failure to elaborate left Jackson none the wiser, he was growing frustrated by the cat and mouse game now, "Look, avoiding talking about things isn't going to help. It's not going to put right whatever it is that's wrong. and something is very wrong here Aaron. No shelter, no food, you can't live like that." He paused hoping for some response but wasn't at all surprised when none came. Aaron wouldn't even look him in the eye; his gaze was now fixed on the floor. "Are there problems at home? Is it your parents? Have you argued with them?" That seemed a real possibility, Jackson decided to run with the idea, "They'll be worried sick about you, are probably out looking for you right now..."

"No!"

That vehemently spat response told Jackson he was on the right track. It was obviously a highly sensitive subject where Aaron was concerned, but that wasn't going to stop him pressing for answers. Going off experience, his own and that of some of his friends, he guessed it was to do with Aaron's father. Fathers and teenage sons often clashed, "Is it your dad? "

"He's a knob!"

If the man was anything like his own father then Jackson would have to agree, but there was a good chance Aaron's dad's intentions were good, on the mark but misunderstood by his son, "Is he? Or is he just saying things you don't want to hear?"

"Like I said, he's a fucking knob!"

There was so much anger in Aaron's voice and it was mirrored in his blue eyes, whatever had happened between Aaron and his dad wasn't some minor family fallout, not something and nothing that would blow over in a few days. Jackson decided not to push him on it for now, but to open up another avenue of dialogue instead, "What about your mum?"

"What about her?"

More anger, was that because he was continuing to pry or did Aaron have an issue with his mother too? "I just thought ..."

"You thought what? That she'd be worried about me? Well you thought wrong, she doesn't give a toss."

"Aaron..."

"Don't try telling me differently, you don't know anything about it."

"No, you're right. Sorry." He was presuming a little too much here. He'd hoped for an easy solution to Aaron's problems but clearly there wasn't one, things were obviously a lot more complex than he'd wanted to believe. Knowing that made him even more determined to help Aaron. "I know you think it's none of my business but you made it my business the minute you broke in here. How can I sit back and do nothing knowing that when you leave here you'll go hungry, that you'll sleep rough again tonight."

"I can take care of myself!"

"No doubt having to break the law in the process! That's not a road you want to go down."

"I'll get a job..."

"It's not that easy believe me." Or was it? The other day he'd thought about taking someone on, he'd even done some calculations and knew for a fact he could afford to pay the minimum wage. He'd decided against it in the end, had told himself it was a complication he could do without. He was reconsidering the idea now because Aaron was in desperate need of a job, and even more in need of a place to stay. He had a spare room but was offering it to Aaron the right thing to do?

While Jackson had been mentally debating the matter Aaron had stood up, wanting it seemed to leave. "Wait," Lurching to his feet Jackson moved to stand between Aaron and door.

"Thanks for the tea and stuff."

Jackson hadn't been expecting that and he certainly didn't want any thanks, he just wanted to be sure Aaron would be ok, "Where're you planning on going?"

"To a mates."

Jackson didn't believe that for one second. He still wasn't 100% sure he was doing the right thing but at that moment in time knew it was the only thing he could do, "Listen, I've plenty of work on at the moment, too much for one man. I've a job for you if you want it? The money's not great but it would tide you over until something better came along." Aaron was now eyeing him in disbelief, and it was a good few seconds before he replied.

"I don't know anything about the building trade."

"You don't have to. You'll be doing the labouring mostly; you know the fetching and carrying, the knocking down, the clearing up."

"I don't know."

"A job's a job and right now you can't afford to be choosy." A bit harsh maybe but he was starting to worry Aaron would refuse his offer.

"I know it's just..."

Jackson could guess what was troubling Aaron, "You can stay at my place. I've got a room going begging, it's yours until you can afford someplace else."

"Why're you doing this?"

The offer of a lifeline had obviously thrown Aaron. Jackson could understand him being suspicious of his motives, he supposed anyone would be. If his parents had let him down Aaron probably had trust issues too, so reassuring him wasn't going to be easy but he would try, "Because I can, because I want to, because we'll both benefit from it." Aaron was obviously thinking it over, but struggling to make a decision, Jackson was happy to give him a nudge in what he thought was the right direction. "At least give it a go, a week's trial? If it doesn't work out at least you'll have some money in your pocket." It seemed liked forever before Aaron answered him, but when he did it was just what Jackson wanted to hear.

"Ok then, thanks."

/

It didn't seem real, not any of it. Aaron kept thinking he'd wake up at some point and find it had all been a bad dream, that the last week hadn't really happened.

It hadn't all been bad though, just when desperation had hit, when he hadn't known which way to turn, his upturned world had unexpectedly righted itself, at least he thought he had. Maybe it was too good to be true, maybe it would all blow up in his face.

And Jackson? His feelings were so confused when it came to him. He hadn't liked him at first, he'd scared the shit out of him turning up like that, shouting at him, threatening him with the police. Jackson had taken pity on him then, had tried telling him his dad wasn't all that bad, that him mum was some kind of saint! He didn't need pity and he certainly didn't need someone trying to convince him into going home. Jackson was clueless; he obviously had parents who loved him.

After what Jackson had done for him today he couldn't help but like him, but understand him? No. Why was he helping him? He was nothing to him. Giving him a job was one thing but letting him stay with him? That was no ordinary favour was it? It was something you did out of the kindness of your heart, Jackson obviously had a big heart, either that or he was soft in the head, yeah that was more like it!

Why was he doing Jackson down? Why couldn't he just accept that Jackson was a good man? In his heart of hearts he knew why, he just didn't want to admit to it, because if he did he would have to admit to the unthinkable.

Lying in the dark, in the silence and emptiness of the night meant he had no distractions, no means to escape his thoughts or his feelings. They were all over the place and were keeping him awake. For the first time in a week he had a bed to sleep in, but as warm and as comfortable as he was in it, he couldn't settle, he just kept tossing and turning, his body as restless as his mind. There was a war raging inside of him, two opponents vying for victory when they should really be siding with each other.

His head ached with it all and his insides churned. He just wanted it all to stop, he wanted the little voice inside of him to shut up, but instead it was getting louder, evermore determined to be heard.

Today something had again stirred inside of him, something he'd been trying so hard to kill. It was growing in strength now and he was scared it would eventually overwhelm him. It was something he'd always thought wrong, something he still thought was wrong, so why wouldn't it die? He knew the answer to that too and again he hated admitting to it, but he was going to have to. It was because he'd met Jackson. Jackson had breathed life into it, had roused the monster that slept inside of him.

The sickening truth was he didn't like Jackson because he'd been good to him, because he'd done him favour after favour. No, he liked him because of his smile, because of his eyes, the way he laughed, the way he moved. He more than liked him, he was attracted to him! That meant he was gay and he didn't want to be, he would rather be dead!

tbc


	3. Chapter 3

Finders Keepers  
Chapter 3

Jackson frowned at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, he was more than a little disappointed in himself. The past half hour had seen him questioning his reasons for helping Aaron, and he was having to acknowledge that it wasn't just a matter of him helping someone in need, that it was much more involved than that. Yesterday he had admitted to being attracted to Aaron, he had tried to quash what he was feeling, nip it in the bud, but he had failed miserably.

He had spent most all of yesterday with Aaron. Although he couldn't say he knew any more about him, his attraction towards him had definitely grown. There was just something about him, something that drew him to him. But it was wrong on so many levels, he was too young for starters and the be all and end all was the fact he was straight! Although... no, any thoughts to the contrary were down to wishful thinking on his part.

Last night he'd got it into his head that Aaron would up and leave whilst he slept, and so he had lain there listening out for him. It wasn't just a matter of him worrying about how Aaron would survive on his own; he was also scared he would never see him again. What the hell was wrong with him? Why was he obsessing over the lad, over someone he barely knew? It had to stop, it wasn't healthy.

As he stepped into the shower Jackson told himself he was going to have to get a grip on his feelings, cage them and keep them locked up. Aaron wasn't Mr. Right, he wasn't his soulmate, he was just a kid in need of his help.

/\ /\ /\ /\

Aaron picked through the bundle of clothes Jackson had handed him the night before. All he had to his name was what he'd been wearing, and they, like him, had been in desperate need of a wash. He'd taken off without any thought of where he'd go or how he'd eat, he certainly hadn't thought about taking a change of clothes with him. At the time he'd just wanted to get away and once through the door he hadn't looked back.

He'd taken a long hot shower last night and an even longer one this morning. It felt good to be clean, to have something clean against his skin. The clothes were a good fit, not the kind of stuff he'd wear by choice but he didn't have a choice right now, not that he wasn't grateful, he knew he owed Jackson big time.

His stomach was now rumbling noisily and after hurriedly dressing he headed for the kitchen. Jackson had told him to help himself to whatever he fancied and he planned on doing just that, he had a lot of catching up to do food wise.

He was on his second bowl of cereal when Jackson joined him at the breakfast bar. The smile Jackson flashed in his direction made his heart beat a little faster, that in turn served to confuse and unnerve him. He liked being with Jackson but at the same time he hated how his body betrayed him when Jackson was around. It wasn't right, it wasn't normal and he didn't want Jackson picking up on it.

As they ate, Jackson voiced his plans for the day, "We'll spend the morning at the job in Congleton, then nip over to Emmerdale. I've got to go price a job there."

"Emmerdale?"

"Yeah, do you know the place?" Jackson was still trying to glean information from Aaron and his reaction on hearing mention of the nearby village had made him curious.

"I've heard of it." He'd more than heard of it, he'd been there at least once and more to the point, he had family there, some relations of his mother. He didn't think he'd know any of them now even if he fell over them, but he did still remember their name, Dingle. His dad had talked about the Dingles like they were scum; he'd really looked down his nose at them, and when he'd got really angry at him he'd say he was just like them, a waste of space, no fucking good!

Jackson guessed there was more to it than what Aaron was letting on but he would let it drop for now, "The vet there wants his surgery extended; I told him I'd be there for about 1. It shouldn't take long then we can get something to eat before moving on to the farmhouse."

"Ok." Aaron hoped the unease he was feeling about going to Emmerdale wasn't obvious. He was worrying over nothing probably, but then there was a real chance he would be recognized, and the last thing he needed was someone asking questions.

/\/\/\/\/\

It had been a busy morning, and it had passed quickly. Before Aaron knew it, it was packing up time. He'd actually enjoyed his morning; Jackson had been so patient with him, explaining things, encouraging him, praising him, even thanking him for all his hard work. Not once had Jackson made him feel stupid or worthless, not even when he'd got something wrong. All in all it had been a good experience one he could happily get used to. But that was never going to happen, as soon as Jackson paid him for his week's work he'd be off. No way could he stick around now, not with the effect Jackson had on him, he didn't want him hating him.

It was only a short journey to Emmerdale, and as the van sped ever closer to its destination, Aaron tried to remember his last visit to the village. There had been some sort of a family get-together and his mother had dragged him along. He had to have been about eight, nine maybe. He could vaguely remember the day, there were a lot of people there, a lot of noise, it had been quite rowdy a do. It wasn't all that long after that his mother left his dad, him too of course. He remembered that particular day a lot more clearly, not just because of the hurt and the tears his mum had left in her wake, but also because it was when his dad had first started to drink, when he'd started to change, when he had stopped loving him.

"This must be it!"

Jackson's voice had roused Aaron from his thoughts and only then did he realise that the van was now stationary. He eyed the property to his left, his gaze lingering on the name plaque on its door. "Yeah it is."

"C'mon then." Jackson said as he threw open his door.

"I'll wait here. I don't want to get in the way." He didn't want to be seen more like; he just couldn't shake off the idea that someone would know him.

"You won't, now come on; you can be in charge of the tape measure!"

Jackson had just grinned at him setting his heart racing again, but as uneasy as it had made him feel Aaron couldn't stop himself from grinning back.

/\/\/\/\

Jackson had said it wouldn't take long to tot up the work involved, half an hour tops. In the end it had taken well over an hour, the vet was a talker, his receptionist even chattier. Aaron could tell she'd taken a shine to Jackson; it seemed he'd charmed her without even trying. He was obviously a hit with the ladies no matter their age!

When they'd finally got back into the van Jackson said "I think we're going to enjoy working there, we'll have tea and lemon drizzle cake coming out of our ears!"

Aaron had no choice but to agree. The vet had been happy with the verbal quote Jackson had given him, even happier to hear he could start the job the following Monday. Jackson seemed to have taken it for granted that he'd still be around, and he couldn't yet tell him otherwise.

As the van moved off down the hill Jackson spotted a pub. "Handy, we can have dinner there; sample the food ready for next week." After parking the van he pinned Aaron with a questioning stare "How old are you?" Hopefully he'd get a straight answer this time.

Aaron hadn't been expecting that and a little reluctant to reveal his age asked "Why?"

"So I know whether to order you a pint of lager or a pint of lemonade!"

"Eighteen." He'd easily pass for eighteen wouldn't he?

Jackson raised an eyebrow at Aaron's answer; he knew damn well it was a lie.

"Alright, seventeen." He could normally look someone right in the eye and lie to them, but for some reason he wasn't finding it so easy to lie to Jackson.

"Lemonade it is then."

The pub was quiet, bar staff outnumbered the customers, according to the Landlady they'd missed the lunchtime rush. As they were now running late, they couldn't dawdle over their meal, and just half an hour later they were getting back into the van, Aaron breathing a sigh of relief as the van neared the outskirts of the village. Thankfully he'd not encountered one Dingle, not as far as he knew anyway. Maybe they didn't live around here anymore. Just seconds after having that thought his gaze fell on a recovery truck, on the words emblazoned on its door, _Dingle Automotive_. As Jackson drove past the truck Aaron turned his head to have a better look at it, and at the area where it was parked. So the Dingles owned a garage! Was that where his interest in cars came from? It must run in the blood?

/\/\/\/\/

They'd worked into the early evening, getting back to the flat around seven. Aaron had showered whilst Jackson worked on a written quote for the vet, he liked to do things by the book. Jackson had said it was too late to start thinking about cooking and had handed Aaron a menu from the local Pizzeria, asking him to phone and order them one each.

Aaron was on the phone doing just that when a knock came on the door. Jackson was now in the shower so Aaron padded barefoot into the hallway. The last thing he expected on opening the door was to be looked up and down and then frowned at, but he was, and when the caller demanded "Who the fuck are you" Aaron couldn't stop himself from snapping back "Who the fuck wants to know?"

Aaron's irritation grew when the stranger barged past him calling out for Jackson. "Hey!" He followed on behind the man, he obviously knew Jackson but that didn't give him the right to walk into his flat uninvited.

Thankfully the bathroom door opened at that point, Jackson emerging from there wrapped only in a towel

"Harley! What're you doing here?" Jackson was more than a little surprised to see the other man.

"Never mind what I'm doing here… " Harley paused as he gestured in Aaron's direction "…what's he doing here? He's a bit young for you isn't he? Have you taken up cradle snatching now?"

Although taken aback by his ex's words Jackson was quick to put him straight on the matter, "He works for me! Not that it's any of your business why he's here, me and you are over remember!"

"Why's he wearing my clothes?"

Jackson shook his head at Harley's show of pettiness, "They're clothes you said you didn't want any more, clothes you left in a heap on the bedroom floor."

Aaron listened to the two men argue, the exchange growing more and more heated. It seemed the lanky blond tosspot had a real problem with him being there, and Jackson was obviously angered by that. Aaron was confused by the row, by what was being said. It sounded like the two men had been in a relationship, but that would mean Jackson was gay? He couldn't be!

Suddenly it was all over, Jackson had bellowed at the cause of the upset telling him to get out, he'd done just that, slamming the door behind him as he went.

Aaron's gaze moved to Jackson, he didn't know what to think or what to say to him.

Aaron looked totally bewildered, was obviously wondering what the last few minutes had all been about. Jackson didn't know himself, all he could think of was that Harley had got his wires crossed as far as Aaron's presence was concerned, and had been jealous! He wasn't feeling much like explaining right know, but knew Aaron deserved an apology for having to stand there and listen to that shite, "Sorry about that. I don't know what got into him" That was all he was prepared to say, apart from needing some time to calm down he also needed to get dressed. He'd been about to go into his bedroom but it seemed Aaron wasn't satisfied with what he'd just said.

"Jackson?"

"What?"

"What he said? You and him? Are you…" For some reason he couldn't bring himself to say the word even though it was something he desperately wanted confirmation of.

"Am I gay? Yeah." He had no way of knowing what Aaron was thinking right now, he just knew he was looking at him differently, and the hurt that caused had him hit out verbally, "Don't worry Aaron. I'm not going to jump on you, you're definitely not my type!"

Aaron stared after Jackson, his gaze lingering on his bedroom door long after it had closed. His thoughts were even more chaotic now, he hadn't meant to hurt Jackson but he obviously had, and he wasn't sure how to put that right.

It didn't bother him that Jackson was gay, it really didn't. He actually found it reassuring, Jackson was just an ordinary bloke, no different to the next man. If someone like Jackson was gay then maybe what he was feeling inside wasn't so wrong, maybe it was something he should stop fighting against?

tbc


	4. Chapter 4

Finders Keepers  
Chapter 4

Jackson had to have been in his room a good fifteen minutes, and Aaron was beginning to wonder if he was ever going to come out. He was certain Jackson was deliberately keeping out of his way and he couldn't blame him. How did he put things right, how did he ease the tension, the bad feeling he'd caused?

As Aaron turned the matter over in his head another rap came on the front door. Thinking it was Harley back for Round 2, he hurried towards the door, he was ready for him this time, was in just the right mood to put him in his place. He was disappointed to find the pizza delivery man standing there, but not for long, he reasoned the food would help coax Jackson out of his room.

Tapping on Jackson's bedroom door he called "Pizza's here' then made his way into the kitchen. Jackson appeared in the doorway just minutes later but to Aaron's dismay he wasn't wanting to eat with him.

"I'm going out..."

"No, don't." If Jackson couldn't stand to be around him then it was best he go, "I'll go, I'll leave." He had no right being there anyway.

"No, there's no need for that." Jackson insisted. He might be disappointed in Aaron but that didn't mean he wanted rid of him.

"You're only going out to get away from me, because you think I've got a problem with you being gay."

"No…."

"I haven't. It's just… I didn't know, I didn't see it coming." It really had come as a shock to him and he'd handled it badly.

Jackson knew Aaron was genuine, and it added to his regrets about his earlier outburst, "It's not that, it's not you." It really wasn't, he just needed some air and that was down to Harley."I hate arguments, I hate confrontations of any kind, and that with Harley... I need to walk it off, it'll help clear my head."

"That argument was about me, about me being here." Aaron knew he was the main cause of the upset, if he hadn't been here it wouldn't have happened.

"No. It was about Harley, about him walking in here and shouting the odds. Look, I just need some air, I won't be long."

Aaron wasn't convinced, "But your food, you haven't eaten."

Jackson hadn't felt much like eating but his appetite was returning now he and Aaron had cleared the air, but he was still quietly seething after arguing with Harley, "There's an off-licence round the corner, I'm just going to nip there and get us something to help wash the pizza down, I'll be right back. Ok?"

"Ok", Aaron finally gave up the fight, Jackson had never said anything he didn't mean.

True to his word Jackson was back just ten minutes later, a crate of lager in his arms.

"Didn't they have any lemonade?" Aaron joked, determined to set a better mood for what was left of the evening.

"I did think about getting 'you' some…" Jackson ran with the teasing, his earlier ill mood and the reason for it all but forgotten, "…but I'm pretty sure you can handle a drop or two of the hard stuff!"

"Better than you probably!"

"Yeah well I think we'll wait until you're eighteen before putting that to the test!"

Satisfied things really were ok between him and Jackson, Aaron began to relax, and suddenly hungry he sat down on the nearest chair, picked up a slice of pizza and bit into it.

Jackson smiled to himself; Aaron was making short work of his pizza. He could now add the fact he liked the' hot and spicy meat combo' to the very short list of things he knew about him. They'd fallen quiet as they'd eaten, the silence a companionable one but Jackson felt the need to get a conversation going.

"How're you liking the job?"

"Yeah, it's ok." Aaron didn't want to sound too enthusiastic, hopefully that way Jackson wouldn't be too surprised to find him gone come Saturday.

"So it wouldn't be your occupation of choice?" He was digging again, hoping to learn something more about Aaron.

"No." No it wouldn't be, he'd always wanted to work with cars, he liked tinkering with them, and fixing them gave him a real sense of achievement. He liked to be behind the wheel too and had hotwired a few motors in his time, taken them for a spin! He knew that bit of information wouldn't impress Jackson like it would some and so decided to keep it to himself. He didn't feel able to keep everything from Jackson though, "I wanted to be a car mechanic."

'Wanted to be' Aaron had made it sound like it was some impossible dream, "And you can be."

Aaron shrugged, how could he now? "No."

Jackson was troubled by Aaron's despondency. It got him thinking. Could Aaron have been doing just that before the trouble at home? If he was seventeen then he could well have been taking a mechanics course. If so there was no reason he couldn't continue on with it. "Aaron I know you don't want to talk about what had you leave home, your life before but …"

"You're right I don't!" He instantly regretted snapping at Jackson and in an attempt to make amends said, "It's not important."

"Of course it's important." You couldn't just write off seventeen years.

"No, not to me, not anymore."

Jackson knew he was on sensitive ground now but decided to continue on, "You need to be sure that there isn't anything worth salvaging there before you turn your back on it for good."

"There isn't."

"Aaron…"

"There isn't! Jackson I'm not going back there."

"I'm not saying you should…"

"It's what you think I should do."

"No, not if things are that bad there…"

"They are… were. I finally grew a pair and put an end to it!" With a sickening jolt Aaron realised he'd just given too much away.

Just what did Aaron mean by that? Jackson was deeply concerned by Aaron's words and the icy tone in which they'd been spoken. He couldn't let this drop now. "What happened?"

Aaron shook his head, he couldn't understand how the conversation had got to this point, how he'd let it get to this point. None of it mattered anymore, he just wanted to forget about it, why wouldn't Jackson let him?

"You can tell me…"

"There's nothing to tell." He didn't want Jackson to know, he didn't want anyone to know.

"I think there is. What did you mean by you put an end to it? An end to what?"

"The arguing, it's all we ever did." Jackson would drop it now wouldn't he?

Arguments may well have played a part in Aaron's relationship with his dad but there was more to it than that, a lot more, and he was determined to get it out of Aaron, "What was the argument about that day?"

Why was he pushing him on this? Why was he so interested? Didn't he realise it was something he wasn't going to like? "Jackson…"

"I want to know what happened!" He wasn't asking politely now, he was demanding the truth. "Aaron, tell me!"

"He said there was money missing from his wallet…" Words were suddenly spewing from his mouth, he couldn't seem to stop them."He said I'd taken it."

"But you hadn't."

"No." The one and only time he had helped himself to some cash he'd suffered for it, he knew better than to do it again. "I knew who had though, his latest girlfriend. She's a right slapper, and she knows she's on to a good thing with him; she wasn't going to give him up without a fight. She told him there was money missing from her purse too; made it look like it was me who'd taken his money!

"He believed her, he believed her over me. I told him he needed to stop thinking with what was in his pants and use his brain instead! That made him even more angry and he went for me… only this time he wasn't quick enough… this time I beat him to it, I gave him a taste of his own medicine. If I'd known it was going to be that easy I'd have done it long before then.

"I kept telling him to get up just so I could hit him again, but he just lay there, I don't think he could believe I'd fought back. Then that bitch started screaming, yelling at me, saying she was going to call the police. I knew whose side they'd take, who they'd believe, I wasn't going to stick around and give him the satisfaction of seeing the police take me away."

Jackson was appalled by what he'd just heard, not by Aaron's actions but at the fact he'd been abused. "Aaron…"

The last thing Aaron wanted now was sympathy or pity, "I've told you what happened; you know the rest so we can forget about it now."

If only he could. Aaron's mother was all too obviously missing from the picture but .. "Was there no one you could tell, no one you could have gone to for help?"

"I'd have ended up in care." He'd loved his dad; he hadn't wanted to lose him too. But over the years he'd slowly grown to hate him… and that day the hate had finally overpowered the fear.

Jackson was certain that being in care would have been a damn sight better than living with an abusive father, but for Aaron it seemed a case of better the devil you know. "Have you no other family?" There had to be someone surely.

"No." No one that would have willingly taken him on, if his own mother hadn't wanted him then her family wouldn't either, especially if they were the rum lot his father believed them to be.

Aaron knew his answer wasn't going to satisfy Jackson, that he'd have another question ready on his tongue. Jackson had done so much for him, he deserved an explanation as to why he'd been in need of such help. Jackson had been given that explanation now, he didn't need to know any more than that, "Jackson. That part of my life's over, I don't want to talk about it anymore, please." He wanted, needed to concentrate on the future, it was an equally as scary a place, and one he wasn't sure he could face.

"Ok." Jackson knew he had to respect Aaron's plea for now at least. He was so pale, was obviously shaken by the reliving of events. It hurt to see him like this, it hurt even more knowing the cause. He was suddenly overwhelmed with the need to comfort him and reached out his hand, gently folding it around Aaron's. He'd half expected Aaron to pull his hand away, to reject the physical contact but he didn't, was accepting of it, and his gaze didn't falter either, he continued to look him right in the eye. Jackson wished he knew what Aaron was thinking right now, something was very much on his mind. "If you do need to talk, about anything, you know you can talk to me…"

"There is something… there is something I need to talk to you about." But could he? After years of being on the receiving end he'd finally manned up and punched his father, but did he have the balls to admit his fears and confusion over his sexuality to another man?

tbc


	5. Chapter 5

Finders Keepers  
Chapter 5

Jackson was looking at him, his dark eyes radiating warmth and reassurance. Aaron knew he was waiting for him to speak, but the words wouldn't come, he couldn't get them past his lips, his mouth was too dry.

_"Aaron?"__  
_  
He liked the way Jackson said his name, he liked his voice, especial when, like now, it was hushed and low, it had a reassuring warmth to it... just like his touch.

Aaron's gaze fell to where their hands were entwined. Jackson's wrapped gently around his, it felt right, it felt good... and it somehow gave him strength... courage.

He could talk to Jackson, he could tell him what haunted his every waking moment so to his dreams. Of all people Jackson would understand, and would help him understand. "Two men... it's.. it's just like what's between a man and a woman isn't it? I mean the caring, the wanting to be together?"

_Jackson hadn't been expecting that but then maybe he should have seen it coming. Aaron had been stunned to find out he was gay. Of course he'd be curious, it was only natural, especially so at his age. He'd thought a weightier problem was troubling Aaron but it seemed not, and he was admittedly a little relieved about that. "Yeah, it's exactly the same."__  
_  
Of course it was, it had to be. Maybe if he'd been able to talk to someone about this sooner he wouldn't be so confused now, maybe he wouldn't have done things he regretted, "There was this girl in school, Kelcee. All the lads thought she was fit, they all fancied her..." all except him!

_So this was about relationships. Jackson didn't have a great track record were they were concerned, and as for girls! Well they were something he knew very little if anything about, but if Aaron had a problem where they were concerned, he would do his best to help him with it... like a big brother would. Yeah, that was what he was going to have to be to Aaron, an older, wiser brother.__  
_  
"She was nice, funny, pretty." He'd known her for years, saw her every day in school, they'd always been friendly and that's how he'd thought of her, as a friend. But then one day he'd realised she was looking at him differently, and she wasn't the only one. Girls were always flirting with him, and that scared him, they scared him! He was sure they'd realise he was different, that they would be able to tell. He'd just wanted to be like his mates, he wanted to like girls, he wanted to look at them and feel the way they did about them, he wanted to be normal.

"There was a party, some girl's parents were away and everyone was invited. Kelcee was there, she'd been drinking, she was all over me and ..." he'd been drinking too... and with his mates there he hadn't wanted to lose face. He'd told himself that maybe if he actually did it, if he had sex with a girl he'd feel differently, "We ended up going upstairs to one of the bedrooms."  
_  
__Jackson sighed inwardly. Aaron hadn't got the girl pregnant had he? That was one complication Aaron's already troubled life could well do without.__  
_  
It hadn't mean anything, not to him, all he'd felt after was a sense of guilt, he felt he'd used Kelcee, not in the way a lot of men use women, but he'd used her all the same. He'd avoided her like the plague after that, he knew how that looked but she hadn't seemed all that bothered, had soon turned her attention elsewhere. He'd pretended to do the same, told himself he had to, but no matter how pretty a girl's face, how tight her dress, how much she came on to him… it did nothing for him. What did catch his eye, what did make him take a second look, what did excite and ignite a fire inside of him… were other men! "When did you know you were gay?"

_The sudden change in the direction of the conversation threw Jackson; he'd just formed an image of a pregnant schoolgirl in his head and that in no way related to a gay man. It crossed his mind to question Aaron's interest, was it because Aaron was struggling to get to what was really bothering him, did he need to encourage him or push him? He decided to just sit tight for now, to not rush him, and anyway he didn't mind answering the question. He wanted Aaron to open up to him and this was a good way of showing him he was willing to do the same. "I didn't 'know', not for the longest time. There were times I thought I might be, but I told myself I wasn't, that there was no way I could be. The fact was I didn't want to be. I looked at girls and waited for the fireworks to go off in my head... they never did of course, but I could drool for England over David Beckham over any fit guy! The idea I could be gay scared me, terrified me and for a long time I fought against it. The knowing, the accepting... it's not something that happens overnight, you don't wake up one morning and know for a fact you're gay. At least it didn't happen that way for me. I questioned my feelings for a good few years before I finally acknowledged the truth. The thing is, you can pretend, lie to those around you but you can't lie to yourself, your head might try telling you you're something different to what you are, but your heart is always true to itself, it never lies. I eventually realised that if I was ever going to be truly happy I had to just be me, that I had to let what I kept locked up inside of me fly free." Things were maybe getting a little too heavy, too deep, Aaron didn't want or need to hear such stuff, it wasn't like he was ever going to fully understand what he was talking about. It was time to lighten the mood and hopefully get the conversation back on track, "Aaron... I don't mind talking about 'me', after all I'm an expert on the subject but while we're discussing me we're not talking about what's really on your mind and..."__  
_  
"Yes we are." At least he was trying to, but his thoughts were all over the place, and he'd been struggling to put them into words. Jackson though, what he'd just so effortlessly said, so much of it had rang true, "I don't like what goes on in my head Jackson. I don't like what I feel inside. It scares me like it scared you. I've been lying to myself too, I've been denying what I am, hiding from it, running from it, fighting it just like you did. But I'm not like you Jackson… I don't think I can accept it."

"_You're gay!" The words left Jackson's lips in a barely audible whisper. The sudden realization had hit him like a blow to the face. Aaron had been talking for the last ten minutes, had been trying to tell him but he had somehow got the wrong end of the stick. Just how stupid was he? _

Even now Aaron wanted to deny it and keep on denying it, but he couldn't, not with Jackson sitting so close to him, not with the way he made him feel. Wasn't that confirmation enough of what he was? A solitary tear born of despair trickled down his cheek, he felt something soft and gentle wipe it away. So sensitive a gesture, so tender the touch ... but with the power to release what he'd kept bottled up for so long.

_Jackson pulled Aaron into his arms, he knew his tears would wash away a lot of his pain, "It's ok," He soothed, "It really is. I know you're struggling to believe that right now but one day soon you will, I promise."_

_tbc_


	6. Chapter 6

Finders Keepers  
Chapter 6

The misery, the tears had eventually given way to an uneasy sense of calm, the way you're left feeling on waking from a nightmare. But that too had passed, leaving Aaron drained of all strength and helplessly drowsy. He could so easily have fallen asleep but he'd fought against the invading darkness, he liked the twilight world he'd found himself in. Its only other inhabitant held him in his arms and there he felt safe and cared for. He hadn't felt that way in a long time and he didn't want that feeling to end.

His head rested against Jackson's chest and he could hear his heart beating, its rhythm reassuringly steady and strong. He shifted against him, nestling further into the comfort and warmth.

Jackson's voice filtered through the haze, rousing him just a little. He could feel his breath on his face, warm and feather soft. The invisible caress stirred something inside of him, sparked and fanned a flame, the heat then slowly spreading through him, coursing through his veins, energizing and sensitizing his flesh. He met Jackson's gaze, his eyes then drawn to his lips… boldly he covered them with his own, finding them soft, yielding… responsive.

_The unexpected kiss had instantly robbed Jackson of his senses; he'd kissed Aaron back, eagerly, hungrily. But something had brought him back from the brink, had snapped him out of the heat filled moment by screaming at him that it was wrong. He pulled away, shrugged off Aaron's arms, determinedly breaking all physical contact. Lurching to his feet he forced a decisive "No!" out through his lips, lips that had just discovered the sweetest of sensations.  
_  
Aaron shivered against the sudden chill in the room, he was bewildered by it, but seeing the horrified look on Jackson's face he realised he was to blame for it. What had he just done? "I'm sorry." He was, sorry and deeply ashamed! He didn't understand what had happened, how it had happened, "I don't... Jackson I'm sorry." He got to his feet, his legs like jelly, threatening to give way beneath him.

Jackson could see how badly shaken Aaron now was, he was going to have to reassure him and knew that wouldn't be easy, "It's alright..."

"No." No it wasn't alright, he'd just made a complete fool of himself, had just embarrassed Jackson, he's messed everything up!

"Aaron listen to me, we just need to talk about this."

"No." He could barely look Jackson in the eye, no way could he sit there and discuss how he'd just snogged him. He turned around and made for the door, he had to get out of there, away from what he'd done.

"Where are you going?" Jackson demanded, just as he'd thought, Aaron wasn't handling the situation well.

"Out, I need some air, "

_"No. We both know that if you leave now you won't come back."_

Jackson was right about that. How could he stay? "Jackson I have to go..."

_"You can't do this on your own Aaron, you know you can't." Jackson knew his words had hit home, they'd stopped Aaron in his tracks but knew they weren't enough to keep him here, he was scared, confused by what had happened. "I know you didn't mean it to happen, it just did. You've been through so much tonight, you weren't thinking straight, you didn't know what you were doing. I know that and you know that and that's why we can move past it."_

He didn't think he could, the way he felt about Jackson he might well end up doing the same again. "No." The only way on from this was out though the door. He had his hand on the handle, was just about to yank it open when he felt pressure on his arm, the grip on him tightening. A familiar sense of dread rose from the pit of his stomach… he knew what was coming… but like the last time he wasn't going to let it happen. He spun around and getting right in the other man's face snarled "Get your fuckin' hands off me!"

Jackson flinched at the show of menace, where the hell had that come from? "Aaron!" The confusion now clouding Aaron's face was all the answer he needed, the anger hadn't been aimed at him. Aaron had insisted his father, the abuse he'd suffered at his hands was in the past but this proved otherwise! Jackson knew he was in no way qualified to help Aaron deal with the issue but he was all he had right now. He gently but firmly steered Aaron back over to a chair, he'd met no resistance, Aaron seemed dazed, but Jackson was certain he could hear him. "Tonight's taken its toll, emotions got out of control… but you walking out that door won't change that. You're on the right path now Aaron, a job, the independence that will give you… it's too good an opportunity to throw away. Apart from anything else it will give you the time you need to deal with what happened in the past and to accept your future as a gay man." He wasn't sure of the reception his words would receive and when Aaron got to his feet he thought they'd failed him. "Aaron?"

"Is it alright if I go to bed, I'm tired." Jackson couldn't argue against that could he?

"_Of course it is." Relief flowed through Jackson, Aaron now seemed resigned to staying. He watched Aaron until he disappeared into his room, only then did he lose his composure. He'd been shaken by events too and was now in need of a drink. Lager wouldn't do on this occasion, he needed something stronger. Whisky wasn't something he had a taste for, he drank it very occasionally, but right now he was craving it and thankfully he had a bottled tucked away at the back of a kitchen cupboard. A satisfied client had given him it, it had been a Christmas bonus. He only realised he was shaking when he started to pour the amber liquid into a glass, well a generous glass of the stuff would hopefully cure that._

_The whisky burned his throat and trialed fire down into his belly, it was the good stuff alright! After the initial discomfort it started to sooth him, ease the tension that gripped him. There was so much going through his mind and one thing in particular kept replaying... the kiss and how he'd so nearly lost himself in it. God knows what that would have led to… a terrible mistake probably. He'd have been taking advantage of Aaron, he was an emotional mess right now, scared and hurting, and he was so young, naïve, so very vulnerable. He had feelings for him, he couldn't deny that, but he could never act on them._

Aaron flopped down on to his bed, he wasn't going to even bother getting under the duvet he knew he wouldn't sleep. He'd told Jackson he was tired and he was, but more than anything he'd needed to get away from Jackson. He'd kissed him, come close to hitting him and still he was nice to him, he couldn't understand it, he didn't deserve it.

No matter what Jackson said, how convincing his argument, Aaron knew he couldn't stay, Friday seemed a long way off but he was going to have to stick things out till then, like Jackson said he'd have money in his pocket, he'd be ok for a while, something else was bound to turn up.

He was going to have to forget all about Jackson for both their sakes.

tbc


	7. Chapter 7

Finders Keepers  
Chapter 7

Friday had been a long time coming, but now it was here Aaron wasn't so happy to see it. His head was all over the place still and his feelings towards Jackson had intensified the last few days. He knew he had no option but to leave because of those feelings but how could he now they were so strong? He kept telling himself it was just a stupid crush, one made worse by the fact he was spending so much time with Jackson, and that once he left it would die a quick death, but deep down he knew it wouldn't.

The past few days had been easier to get through than he thought they'd be, not nearly as awkward as he'd expected. Aaron knew that was down to Jackson, he hadn't treated him any differently, hadn't looked at him any differently. It was like the kiss hadn't happened... but it had and it might not have meant anything to Jackson, he might have been able to pass it off as nothing and forget about it, but he couldn't. He'd been horrified at first, couldn't believe he'd actually made a move on Jackson on another man. Now that the initial embarrassment had worn off, all he could think about was how it had made him feel at the time, it was like he'd been on some kind of a high

He could hear Jackson moving about his bedroom, knew he'd soon be joining him in the kitchen. They had an early start, Jackson wanting to be at Brier Beck for 7am. It wasn't so as to get ahead with work or even to catch up, it was just so they could finish early. This particular Friday night was a party night, one of Jackson's friends was throwing a birthday bash, Jackson was going and had invited him along. he'd told him he'd think about it, but he had no intentions of going, he would be going somewhere though... as far away as possible!

Jackson could get on with his life then, get back to normal. If he was honest he envied Jackson his life, his confidence, his determination, his drive. He'd built his business up from scratch, had a place of his own, he was his own man. Nothing seemed to scare him, nothing fazed him, he just got on with life, enjoyed his life. Would he ever be able to say that about himself? Would he one day look in the mirror and like who he saw there, would he be proud of the man looking back at him? He couldn't imagine it somehow, he couldn't believe that one day he'd like who he was, that he'd be happy in himself, in his own skin. Jackson had tried talking to him about being gay over the last few days, telling him about organisations, websites, places and people who offered advice and support, reminding him that he too was there for him, that he would do all he could to help get him to the point where he could openly say 'I'm gay'. Telling Jackson was one thing but as for telling the rest of the world? Like Jackson said he couldn't lie to himself but he was good at keeping secrets, at hiding things from people, covering things up. He'd been explaining away black eyes and split lips for years, he'd slept with a girl, snogged the face of a few others... if he could do all that without giving the game away then there was no reason why he couldn't continue to do so.

"Mornin','"

Why did Jackson always sound so upbeat? Even at half six in the morning he sounded full of the joys of spring, "Hi," he'd struggled to sound even half as cheerful. He knew his gaze had lingered a little too long on Jackson but he couldn't help it, he always looked good, even now when he was dressed in his work clobber, faded, tatty jeans and some jumper that had more holes in it than Swiss cheese.

"You ok?"

"Yeah fine, you?" He couldn't let on just how miserable he was.

"Yeah I'm good. You ready?"

"Ready, willing and able." He had to sound enthusiastic even if he wasn't. He got to his feet and put his mug in the sink, he'd wash it later, he'd make sure he left what had been his room this past week in good order too, he didn't want to give Jackson any reason to regret letting him stay.

/\\\ /\\\

It was lunch time, and they were parked up outside a chippy tucking into fish and chips, Jackson said he always had a chippy dinner on a Friday, that it helped line his stomach ready for some Friday night supping.

As they'd eaten Jackson's mobile had started ringing, after checking the number he'd set it on the dashboard leaving it to ring, "Harley again! How many times does he want telling I'm not interested?"

Aaron shifted uncomfortable in his seat, Jackson's words were a painful reminder of his noninterest in him too. Whereas he'd got the message it seemed Harley hadn't. Harley had rang Jackson to apologise for his behaviour the other night, it seemed he'd broken up with his boyfriend and had wanted to cry on Jackson's shoulder, in a subsequent call had admitted to still having feelings for Jackson, was wanting to give the relationship another go. Even though Jackson had told him he just wanted to keep it on a friendship level, Harley kept trying to change Jackson's mind.

Within minutes the phone was ringing again, "If it's him again I'll..." Jackson paused mid flow this time answering the call.

It obviously wasn't Harley, Jackson was being too polite for it to be him. He was apologising for something, promising to take care of whatever it was as soon as he possibly could.

Aaron could tell the call was work related and worrying it might be because of something he'd done asked, "Who was that?"

Tucking his phone into his pocket Jackson said, "The vet's wife, you know that job over in Emmerdale."

"Yeah, but you're not starting it until Monday."

"No, but my suppliers have just made a delivery there and she's not happy with where they've put it. We're going to have to go there and move it."

"When?" He didn't want to have to go to Emmerdale again.

"Now, well as soon as we've finished eating."

"Ok." There was no way he could get out of it.

"It shouldn't take long, best to keep her sweet, by the sound of her she wears the pants in that household, is the one that writes the cheques!"

/\\\

Aaron couldn't see a problem with where the bulding supplies had been left, it seemed the vet couldn't either, he'd come out and apologised to them, saying his wife had a lot on her mind right now and was picking fault with everything, including him. With a big grin on his face he told them he'd sent her in to Hotten for some therapy, retail therapy.

It had taken them a good half hour to move the stuff to the side of the house. It was physically heavy, sweat inducing work, and the vet, Paddy, had insisted they go inside and replace some fluids. He'd sat at the kitchen table with them, chatting away, like Jackson he never seemed short of something to say. Aaron couldn't help but like him even though he came across as a bit of a geek. Again because of the friendly banter, they'd stayed longer than intended, and even when Jackson finally made a move to leave, they'd ended up traipsing through the house to look at the 'in-patients', at one in particular that Paddy wanted them to see.

"He's been badly treated, I'm looking for a good home for him, putting the word around hoping there's someone out there willing to take him on. If you know of anyone let me know."

'He' was an Alsatian, and the dog was eyeing them warily from inside a large treatment cage. When Jackson took a step closer to him wanting a better look, the dog started to bare his teeth and growl, but all the time he was doing that he was trembling too, he was obviously scared and Aaron's heart went out to the animal.

"It's not going to be easy, could prove impossible but I don't want to euthanase him without giving him a fair chance."

"I'll ask around." Jackson promised, he would but after the dog's reaction to him he wasn't at all hopeful that anyone would want him.

The surgery phone was now ringing, as Paddy made to answer it he thanked them for coming and asked if they minded seeing themselves out.

Jackson led the way to the front door and Aaron's gaze swept around the room they were passing through for a second time. It was obviously the living room, it was bright and colourful with framed pictures placed here and there, a large, ornately framed one hung on a wall and it caught Aaron's eye. It was of a bride and groom, Paddy the groom and the bride... she actually looked familiar, the black hair, the dark eyes...

Aaron moved closer for a better look, his heart thundering in his chest as he did so. He told himself it couldn't be her, it couldn't be. It was years since he'd seen her and his dad had got rid of every last picture of her...all except the one Aaron had stored in his memory. The woman in the wedding picture looked like the woman in his memory, exactly like her.

Aaron suddenly felt sick. Paddy had been 'the other man', the one his mother had left his dad for!

Jackson had reached the van and was about to get in it when he realised Aaron was still in the house, he didn't think much of it until he heard shouting, and that Aaron's voice was the one raised in anger.

tbc


	8. Chapter 8

Finders Keepers  
Chapter 8

All hell seemed to have broken loose in the house but as Jackson ran towards it, it suddenly went quiet. As he ran through the front door he collided with an exiting Aaron. The impact was unexpected and the momentum almost knocked him off his feet.

"What the fuck's going on? Jackson demanded, his words falling on deaf ears as Aaron carried on walking without answering or even looking at Jackson. Although concerned for Aaron, Jackson knew he had to speak to the vet about what had gone on. He hurried through the kitchen careering into the living room where he found the older man crouched down, tentatively picking up shards of glass.

On seeing Jackson, Paddy got to his feet and gesturing in the direction Aaron had left bellowed, "He wants locking up."

"What happened?" Jackson was dreading the answer to his question. The altercation now looked to have been a violent one but to what extent?

"He broke this deliberately, I saw him ram his fist into it!"

Paddy was holding the shattered remains of a picture frame, he was obviously angry but he also sounded bewildered by Aaron's actions, Jackson was too. "Look I'm sorry. I don't know why he'd do such a thing. I'll pay for the damage, I'll find him and ...

"If damaging my property wasn't bad enough he started ranting on at me, asking if I knew the slapper was married, if I knew she had a kid."

"Who was he talking about?"

"You tell me, he wasn't making any sense. He's not right in head. I don't want him here again and you can forget about coming back too!"

Jackson knew there was no point trying to reason with Paddy over the job, he was beyond reason right now and he could understand that. And anyway, he needed to talk to Aaron, hear what he had to say for himself, not that he thought Aaron could in any way justify his actions. He hurried back outside, his gaze sweeping the area for any sign of Aaron, he wasn't in the van, was worryingly nowhere to be seen. "Aaron?" He shouted the name more out of desperation than in the hope of Aaron responding. On realising he was going to have to drive around looking for Aaron he made for his van. Just as he was about to drive off Paddy appeared in his doorway calling to him, asking him to wait.

What the hell did he want? He didn't have any time to waste, Aaron already had too much of a head start on him as it was, "I need to find him..."

"What's that lad's name?" Paddy demanded as he hurried over to Jackson.

"Aaron." Paddy wasn't calling the police was he? Surely they didn't need to be involved?

"No his surname?"

Jackson had to think on that, he'd needed that bit of info for his paperwork and Aaron had told him it grudgingly, "Livesy I think... yeah Livesy, why?"

"My god it is him!" Paddy exclaimed, shocked on having his suspicions confirmed. "It didn't click before, but hearing you call his name… what he did, what he said well... it makes sense now."

Not to Jackson it didn't, "What do you mean?"

"He's my wife's son!"

Paddy had given him a hurried explanation, adding that the police had recently contacted his wife, Chastity. They were trying to trace Aaron, were wanting to question him in connection with a physical assault on his father. Paddy and Aaron's mother were aware he was missing from home but had never expected him to turn up at theirs, and although he had it seemed it had been purely coincidental.

Fair play to Paddy he'd offered to help look for Aaron, he seemed genuinely concerned about him now he knew who he was. He'd said his wife was worried about Aaron too. Jackson had to wonder if that really was the case, Aaron's exact words where she was concerned had been, "She doesn't give a toss." Aaron had said that with so much anger and conviction that Jackson knew Aaron truly believed it.

It was a couple of hours now since Aaron had taken off and Jackson was beginning to think he'd never find him. He'd scoured the area surrounding Emmerdale. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack, a seemingly impossible task. But he didn't want to give up, he couldn't give up, not where Aaron was concerned.

Unfortunately Paddy had been forced to stop his search, he had an afternoon surgery, a waiting room full of clients needing his attention. He had rung Jackson to explain and to remind him to contact him or his wife if he had any news of Aaron, and to please, if he could, persuade Aaron to return to theirs so they could talk.

Jackson had said he'd try but even if given the chance he wasn't sure it was the right thing to do. He only had a small insight into the situation, it seemed complicated enough without knowing all the ins and outs. Aaron was dealing with enough emotional turmoil right now, was it right to add to it?

He was driving along a back road now, one peppered with pot holes, it wasn't doing the suspension on his van any good and it wasn't doing anything for his mood either. He knew that with every minute that passed the chances of him finding Aaron grew more and more slim. What if he didn't find him? What if he never saw him ever again? It might be for the best in some ways but there was no getting away from the fact Aaron would be on his own again, having to fend for himself and …

He'd just spotted someone up ahead! The person a little too far away to make out. It could be anyone but on seeing the distant figure Jackson's hopes rose. This was the back of beyond, who in their right mind would want to walk along this stretch of road? It went on for miles and led nowhere in particular; it couldn't even be called scenic. He wasn't even sure why he'd come down this road himself... he was glad he had now though because he'd just realised it was Aaron… he'd found him!

As Jackson pulled up alongside Aaron, he threw open the passenger side door and called out, "Get in." Aaron looked taken aback to see him, then seemed to briefly consider the invite before suddenly turning on his heels and striding back the other way. "Oh no you don't!" Jackson spat, he hadn't spent hours tracking Aaron down for him to ignore him now. He checked his rear mirror then put the van in reverse, stopping alongside Aaron once again, this time making it clear to Aaron that he only had the one option, "Get in the fuckin' van!"

Aaron hesitated only briefly before clambering in beside Jackson, he couldn't look at him though and so fixed his gaze on the road ahead. He'd never expected to see Jackson again, had told himself it was better that way but here he was, appearing out of the blue again, taking charge of the situation, of him!

"Where were you going?"

Aaron shrugged in answer, he didn't know, he'd just wanted to get away from Emmerdale, away from that house, from the vet, from…

"So anywhere as long as it was nowhere?"

Jackson's comment shouldn't have made any sense but it did, "Yeah,"

"I know what happened Aaron, and I know why you lost it back there."

Aaron forced himself to meet Jackson's gaze, curious now about what he knew.

"Paddy realised who you are…"

"What?"

"He put two and two together, what you said, your name. He's been out looking for you too."

"Why?"

"Because he and your mum are worried about you…."

"No!" If Jackson believed that he'd believe anything.

"The police…."

"He called the police?"

"Your dad did they …"

"Bastard!" It didn't surprise him but it hurt all the same, he just wasn't sure why.

"We can sort all that out, put them straight, let them know what really happened…"

"No!"

"You can't leave things as they are, not where the police are concerned…"

"Haven't you got a job to get to?" Why was Jackson wasting his time on him?

Diversionary tactics again! Aaron should know by now that they wouldn't work on him. "This is more important, all these issues need facing and dealing with, and you don't have to do it on your own. Why don't we call it a day and go back to the flat, talk things through there?"

"There's no point Jackson... I'm not sticking around, I never planned to. Just as soon as you paid me I was going to leave."

"You weren't going to tell me were you?" He'd always feared waking up one morning and finding Aaron gone.

"No." He felt guilty now, had the sudden urge to explain himself, "You'd have tried to talk me into staying."

"Of course I would have done, you'd have been making a big mistake..." Suddenly nothing else mattered, not the police, not Aaron's parents, what did matter, what was important was the two of them. " Aaron you can't leave..."

Jackson was going to reason with him now, talk him round, well it wasn't going to work this time, "I can't stay Jackson I can't…. I'm grateful for everything you've done for me but…"

"But what?" What was it that made Aaron believe it was impossible for him to stay? "Is it what happened the other night, the kiss?" Jackson could tell by the sudden rush of colour to Aaron's cheeks that he'd hit the nail squarely on the head, "I thought we'd put that behind us." He hadn't but he'd started to think Aaron had.

Just how had the conversation turned to that stupid kiss? He didn't want to talk about it, he was scared his real feelings would come flooding out if he did.

"Aaron?"

"Yeah we have, like you said it just happened, it meant nothing, not to you and… not to me."

"Didn't it?" Jackson knew differently, he could see the truth in Aaron's eyes, making it impossible to deny his own feelings any longer.

"No, I didn't know what I was doing I…"

"Yes you did and so did I, but I put a stop to it because of where it might lead." Aaron needed to hear the truth.

"What?"

"You're not out yet Aaron, you're still battling against the idea of being gay. You're not ready to sleep with a man and Aaron you'd have ended up in my bed that night… only to regret it the next morning."

"No."

"Yes Aaron! You have to be ready emotionally before taking that step and you're not, not yet."

Aaron wanted to argue the point but knew Jackson was right, wasn't he always! But what he'd just said? Jackson had admitted to knowing what he was doing. Yeah, Jackson had kissed him back, he had been lost in that kiss just like he was. He hadn't realised that until now. That wouldn't have happened if Jackson felt nothing for him… "Jackson?"

"From that very first day I felt something, but I told myself it was wrong, you were just a kid, and you were straight… so not my type!" He cringed at the memory of smacking Aaron down with that comment. "But that kiss… I wanted you, but even more I wanted there to be an 'us' and sleeping together that night would have put a stop to that… you'd have hated us both the next day.

"No. I could never hate you."

Jackson smiled at the sincerity in Aaron's voice, "So now that we both know how we really feel about each other, will you stay?"

"Yeah." Aaron hadn't had to think about his answer, he wanted to be with Jackson more than anything.

Jackson had been about to say they should take things slowly, but the urge to kiss Aaron proved overwhelming and he leant in closer to him, claiming his lips and caressing them gently with his own.

tbc


	9. Chapter 9

Finders Keepers  
Chapter 9

Aaron's knuckles were bruised and swollen, the skin broken and raw in places, Jackson had cleaned the area of dried blood but wasn't at all happy with the way it looked, "I think you should have it checked out in A&E..."

"Don't be daft." Aaron balked at the idea and snatched his hand away from Jackson grasp.

Reaching for Aaron's hand again Jackson started to apply antiseptic cream to the affected area, "You might have broken something, there could be some glass left in it."

"It's fine" Aaron insisted, uncomfortable with the fuss Jackson was making; it was a reminder of the stupid thing he'd done.

"Maybe an x-ray..."

"Jackson!" He was being ridiculous now.

"Ok, ok" It probable was ok, Aaron was moving his fingers without much difficulty, didn't seem in any undue amount of pain. Jackson supposed he was fussing out of guilt; it hadn't occurred to him that Aaron might have injured himself when smashing the picture; he hadn't even noticed he had until they'd got back to the flat. His mind had been on other things but still he felt bad about missing it, no point dwelling on it now though, "Well you won't be able to play the piano for a few days but I'm happy to say you'll live."

Aaron grinned at Jackson's teasing, but he knew the light-heartedness wouldn't last, that Jackson was just biding his time, waiting for the right moment to tackle him on what he'd done, on the cause.

"Aaron..."

It seemed Jackson thought it the right time now, he'd just folded both his hands around his injured one, cradling it reassuringly as he pinned him with a questioning gaze.

"So what do we do now? We can't ignore things and hope they'll just go away, because they won't."

Aaron liked the 'we', it reminded him that he wasn't alone, and that Jackson truly cared about him. But Jackson was wrong about him ignoring things, he wasn't, he just wasn't prepared to acknowledge things that weren't important. "I'm not talking to her Jackson, end of."

Aaron was adamant he wanted nothing to do with his mother and Jackson could understand that, he'd happily tell the woman that himself, along with a few home truths but when it came to Paddy, Jackson found he couldn't dismiss him so easily, he liked the man, and knew he genuinely cared about Aaron. As he'd driven them home Paddy had rung hoping for news of Aaron and Jackson had told him he was safe, he'd heard the relief in Paddy's voice. But with Aaron glaring at him, making it plain he wasn't happy about him and Paddy talking, he'd excused himself and ended the call. Jackson knew that wasn't the end of it, he was certain Paddy wasn't the type to give up at the first hurdle. "What about talking to Paddy..."

"No, why would I want to?"

"You must have questions; there must be things you want to know?"

"She left my dad for him, that's all I need to know. I hate him like I hate her. He's lucky I didn't hit him!" Jackson needed to understand just how strongly he felt about the two of them, "Jackson if I went back there I just might..." He'd suddenly remembered he was supposedly going back, on Monday. "The extension?"

"What extension?" Jackson said flatly.

"You lost the job because of me?" Of course he had. "Jackson I..."

"It's alright, I've got other work on my books, and I'm still not finished at Brier Beck." It really didn't matter, but Aaron did, he could tell himself his mother and stepfather didn't exist but not so the police, that matter needed dealing with as soon as possible. "Aaron, you're going to have to talk to the police..."

"And say what? It's my word against his, they won't believe me."

"I think they'd sit up and take notice if you were to walk into a police station of your own volition."

"No." He'd have to tell them everything and no way was he doing that.

A sudden burst of high energy music filled the air, Jackson's mobile was ringing again. At first Aaron saw it as a welcome diversion but then it occurred to him that it might be Paddy again and he physically tensed in anticipation.

"Harley!" Jackson was well and truly fed up of his ex ringing him now, he'd tried being polite, had tried ignoring him too, but it seemed he was going to have to take a tougher line. Accepting the call he greeted Harley with a curt "What?" He'd been expecting to be quizzed on why he hadn't been answering his phone but Harley had immediately asked him if he was still going to the 'drinkathon' later that evening. Between everything Jackson had forgotten all about Ty's party, "Ty's! No, I can't. I've got something else on... " this, Jackson realised, was the perfect way to get the message across to Harley, "the thing is I've met someone and I'm seeing him tonight." Jackson didn't miss Aaron's reaction on hearing his words, he'd been taken aback. It seemed Harley was too because he'd abruptly ended the call. That was him sorted at least.

Jackson's very brief conversation with Harley had really unsettled Aaron but he didn't want Jackson to know that, but as for the rave, "You're not going to your mate's do?" he knew Jackson had been looking forward to it.

"I thought it was the last thing you'd want to do..."

"I don't, but there's no reason you can't go."

"I don't want to go, not without you. Tonight has got to be about you and me. We need to talk, about you, about us. And don't worry, what I said to Harley, I've no intention of telling him or anyone else about us not until you're happy for them to know."

Aaron felt a mix of relief and guilt, he wasn't ready for the world to know about him yet, Jackson knew that and was prepared to hide the nature of their relationship, but he shouldn't have to,"I'm sorry." It seemed he was always having to apologise to Jackson for something, he might well end up regretting finding him in that old farmhouse one day.

"Don't be, I understand." He did, and was happy to give Aaron the time he needed to come out.

/

Aaron lay curled up under the duvet, smiling to himself in the darkness, he was happier than he could ever remember being before. The day had had its bad moments,  
its horrible lows, but they had all faded into insignificance when Jackson had admitted how he really felt about him.

And tonight really had been about the two of them. They had shared a takeaway in front of the telly, Jackson had said they needed to talk but in the end they'd done very little of that, certainly no serious heart to heart stuff. They hadn't needed to, just being with Jackson, the physical closeness, feeling his arms around him, his lips on his...he could feel himself opening up inside. In the space of a day his life was starting to make sense. At least here it was, behind Jackson's front door, where it was just the two of them, where no one else knew about them. But on the other side of that door was the outside world and in his experience it wasn't such a nice place… he didn't want to think about that now. He couldn't stop his mind from wandering to the one awkward moment of the evening though, one he wished he'd handled differently. Things had started to get heated and Jackson had again been the one to pull away, the one to stop things going any further. Jackson obviously still believed he wasn't ready emotionally but his body told him differently, it screamed out for Jackson, he wanted him, he wanted to know him in that so very intimate way. Instead of just standing there watching Jackson disappear into his bedroom alone, he should have followed on behind him… he knew he'd be in his bed now if he had... well... tomorrow night he would be and there would be no regrets.

Jackson stared over at the wall separating him from Aaron, it was a visible, solid barrier but it wasn't that keeping them apart now…if only it was, if only it was that simple. No it was a complex maze of emotions that kept them in separate rooms in separate beds... and he wanted Aaron so badly! He physically ached for him. Not in the way he'd wanted other men, this was different, this wouldn't just be sex it wouldn't just be fulfilling a basic need… well ok, in some ways it would, Aaron made him as horny as hell but it wasn't just lust fueling his desires it was something that he'd felt stir that very first day, something that even though he'd tried to deny its existence had grown deeper and stronger every day since, something he didn't think he should be feeling so soon but he was… and that just complicated things further didn't it? Aaron liked him, was attracted to him but that fell a long way short of the emotion he was feeling for Aaron. Aaron was struggling with the basic of emotions where another man was concerned, he had to remember that. He had to keep things in perspective, he had to take things slowly just like he'd promised himself he would that very afternoon, even if Aaron was to walk into his room right now … who was he kidding? He wouldn't send him away, he wasn't strong enough!

/

It had been another early start but not as early as planned, they'd both overslept, both having had restless nights, both having had too much going on in their heads!

It was going to be another working weekend. The kitchen at Brier Beck needed finishing off and then it was on to its hallway. That needed stripping of wood and the walls readying for plastering the following day. Aaron had insisted on doing that despite his injured hand, and while they sat having a well earned mug of tea, Jackson remembered something else that Aaron had earned.

"Here " He pressed Aaron's promised wages into his hand. "I was meant to give this to you yesterday but with everything that happened I forgot all about it."

Aaron stared at the wad of notes, there had to be three hundred quid there! "What's this?"

"Your weeks wage you Muppet!"

"Jackson I can't take that, it's too much."

"You won't be getting that every week you know, I got a bonus for that job in Congleton, your shares included in that."

"I don't want it, I've been living off you all this week, staying at yours, eating your food, I owe you…"

"No you don't, I wouldn't have got that bonus if I hadn't finished that job early and within budget, and I couldn't have done that without your help."

"It's too much."

"What it is Aaron is money you've earned, money you can put to good use. You can get yourself some new clothes, some everyday essentials, treat yourself… you can even treat me if you like, there's a film I want to see at the multiplex, you can pay to get in and buy the popcorn if you like."

Jackson was grinning at him, how could he argue his point when Jackson looked so friggin' hot? He decided it was best just to get into the spirit of things, "Pay to get in _and_ buy the popcorn? Ok, but you can buy the drinks."

"You're on!" Jackson was about to seal the deal with a kiss when a loud rap came on the front door ruining the moment. He wasn't expecting anyone, the owner wasn't due to make a visit, and anyway he had a key. Brier Beck was well off the main road, not the place a cold caller would actively seek, but then Aaron had somehow stumbled upon it, and it seemed someone else had too. "Finish your tea, l'll go."

Jackson picked his way through the debris strewn hallway, Aaron was a good worker albeit a messy one, he was going to have to remind him there was a skip outside.

The last person Jackson expected to find standing in the doorway was Paddy but there he was, confirming his belief that he wasn't one to give up easily. "Paddy?"

"I was going to ring you but... well I was in the area and I remembered you saying you'd be working up here this weekend. I wanted to apologise for what I said yesterday, the heat of the moment and all that. The thing is, that extension won't build itself will it so I'm hoping you'll be there first thing Monday morning as agreed?"

Jackson didn't want to let Paddy down but he was going to have to, "The way things stand I don't think it would work." It wouldn't, there was no way Aaron would go there, and as for him being there well he was too close to the situation as it was.

"Don't decide now, think about it."

He couldn't leave Paddy hanging not when he already knew what his answer would be, "Paddy..."

"How's Aaron?"

Now that there was the real reason for Paddy's visit, "He's ok." Jackson knew Paddy wanted more from him than that but with Aaron in the next room that was all the reassurance he could give him.

"I know he said he didn't want to talk to his mum or to me but I was hoping he might have changed his mind…"

"No..." Jackson knew Aaron was still too angry to talk to Paddy and was about to politely tell him it was best he leave when Aaron made his feelings known from the kitchen doorway.

"No I fuckin' haven't so piss off back to the bitch you live with!"

As the kitchen door slammed shut Jackson's attention returned to Paddy, "You'd better go..."

"I had to come Jackson, I had to try. There are things he needs to know. If he would just listen to what I have to say I think he'd see things differently, I think he'd see his mum and me differently..."

"She walked out on him!" Jackson spat scathingly "How are you going to dress that up and make it more acceptable?"

"I can't, I wouldn't even try but Chas deeply regrets leaving him behind, she wants to tell him that, to somehow make it up to him…"

"Like she ever could!" What could she possible say or do that would in any way heal the hurt she'd caused her son?

"But she's wanting to try, that's something isn't it? It's a step in the right direction, it's something to build on. She knows the bond they should share has been shattered, that it was her doing but …"

"There's more to it than that, a lot more."

"What do you mean?"

"She didn't just abandon Aaron, she left him with an abusive father."

"What?"

"He's been beating on Aaron for years. How could she leave him with a man like that, how could you let her? You wanted her why not her son?" Jackson's emotions were getting the better of him now, he wanted answers even if Aaron didn't.

"Dear god!" Paddy was horrified by what he'd just been told but knew he had to keep a grip on his emotions, there was something Jackson needed to know, "You've wrong about …"

"No! Don't you dare tell me it didn't happen, that Aaron's lying…"

"I'm not, that's not what I meant. Jackson you're wrong about me, Aaron is too, that's why I need to talk to him, I have to set him straight on some things. Chas didn't leave Aaron's dad for me, that was someone else and he's history now. Ever since I've known Chas she's been wanting to put right her mistake, she's wanted to be a part of Aaron's life, and I've encouraged her to do just that, and we tried to be but Gordon blocked our every move. Aaron's got no reason to hate me... be suspicious of me, wary of me yes I'm just a stranger to him now, but if he would just give me a chance he'd see I care about him, about what happens to him... and after what you just told me I think he needs me in his life."

tbc


	10. Chapter 10

Finders Keepers  
Chapter 10

Jackson braced himself for the fallout from Paddy's visit, he was certain Aaron would still be angry and ready to vocalize that ire. Instead he found a dejected looking Aaron slumped in a chair, who on seeing him walk into the room quickly wiped away a tear. Jackson hurried to his side wrapping a supportive arm around him. "Aaron?"

"Why can't he just leave me alone?"

Jackson sighed inwardly, he knew why but getting Aaron to understand and accept why was proving an impossible task, "Because he really does care about you, because he believes it's important you know that."

Jackson hoped Aaron's silence meant he was contemplating his words and while he seemed to be in a more receptive mood, Jackson decided to pass on what Paddy had been so eager for him to know.

Aaron listened quietly as Jackson relayed the fact Paddy had not been the cause of his parents break up, but at the first mention of his mother the walls went up again. "I don't want to hear it, I don't want to know. "

"Aaron…"

"No Jackson. I can't, I hate her, I know you can't understand that."

"I do I know she hurt you …"

"Not just hurt Jackson! At first I was scared without her, lost, confused. I was just a kid and I couldn't understand how she could be there one day but not the next, how she could say she loved me one day but turn her back on me the day after. People would say things when they thought I couldn't hear, whisper to each other 'How could she?' 'What was wrong with her?' 'Didn't she know how lucky she was?' If they couldn't understand her leaving, how could I? My dad got fed up of me asking about her, asking why she'd gone. He got really mad in the end and said it was because she didn't love him or me anymore, that she loved someone else and that we were better off without her. I didn't believe that at first, I didn't want to believe it. I thought she'd come back, I thought she'd miss me like I missed her, that she'd want to see me as much as I wanted to see her.

"My dad missed her too, I know he did. He started drinking, saying things, doing things... he changed the day she left him; it was like he turned cold inside. I used to think if she came back he'd be ok, that he'd go back to how he was before she left. He used to look at me and I know all he could see was her, I was just a reminder of what she'd done to him… how much she'd hurt him.

"Eventually I realised she wasn't coming back, that my dad was right she didn't love me, and that's when it started to hurt. I remember crying and by the time the tears stopped falling I'd stopped loving her and had started to hate her. Every time my dad would shout at me, every time he'd hit me I'd hate her a little more... she should have been there Jackson!"

"Yes she..."

"Seeing her in that picture…. smiling, happy, she had a new life and it didn't look to me like she had any regrets about leaving her old one behind her. I had no say in the choice she made, in her decision. What I wanted, needed didn't matter to her back then, why should it now?

"Jackson, you have to tell him to stay away from me, tell him I'm not interested in anything they have to say. It won't change what happened so it won't change how I feel about her except maybe make me hate her even more."

Jackson knew some things couldn't be mended, Aaron's relationship with his mother looked to be one of those things, "And you're sure? You haven't really given it much thought…"

"I've given it all the thought I need to, I've got a new life now and I just want to leave all the bad stuff behind me, I want to be able to forget about it and move on."

"But to do that you're going to have to talk to the police, tell them what really happened between you and your dad!" Aaron wanted to move on but how could he when he had an assault charge hanging over his head. Aaron didn't seem to realize how serious that could be, he couldn't keep on shrugging it off, and he couldn't let him.

"They won't believe me, they'll think I'm making it up..."

"Why would they?"

"They'll want to know why I didn't tell anyone, why I let it go on, why I waited until now to hit him back!"

"They'll know why… "

"And even if they do believe me then what? What'll happen to him?"

"You're worried about what will happen to your dad?" It hadn't occurred to Jackson before, but he realised now that the truth of the matter was Aaron was protecting his father.

"He could end up in prison …"

"I'd say that's where he belongs!" Jackson exclaimed but realising him getting angry wasn't helping Aaron face the situation, he took a calming breath and added, "It might not come to that, but whatever happens to him Aaron, it won't be your fault."

"Can we go now?"

"Where?"

"The police station."

"You want to go now?" Aaron's snap decision had stunned Jackson.

"If I don't do this now then I never will."

Certain that was the case Jackson said, "You're doing the right thing."

It had taken a good forty-five minutes to get to Hotten, Saturday traffic proving a nightmare. Jackson knew that was more than enough time for Aaron to start regretting his decision, to start having seconds thoughts, and he was ready if he did. The moment he'd been expecting came when they were just a few feet away from the police station's entrance, Aaron suddenly stopped and shook his head, "Jackson..."

"You can do this Aaron, you have to."

Aaron made no verbal response but to Jackson's relief his gaze returned to the entrance door and a second later he was leading the way inside.

There were other people in the reception area and if Jackson had just glanced in their direction he would have had some warning of what was to come, but like Aaron his gaze was fixed on the duty sergeant's desk.

"Aaron?"

They both turned in the direction of the woman's voice, Jackson didn't know her but seeing Paddy standing next to her had him realise who she was, it was Aaron's mother.

tbc


	11. Chapter 11

Finders Keepers  
Chapter 11

Maybe it was because it was so unexpected, or maybe it was because it had been so long since last setting eyes on her, but for Aaron recognition wasn't instant. He eyed the woman staring so intently at him; her dark eyes were brimming with tears, his first thought being... she's crying, why? But then it hit him, suddenly he knew who she was and he couldn't bear to look at her, he couldn't bear to be anywhere near her, he wanted out, he wanted away from her! Turning around he made for the door desperate to put some distance between the two of them. All else was forgotten in his panicked flight, where he was, why he was there and even who he was with.

Oh the relief on hitting the fresh air, on feeling a cool breeze on his face, it helped quell the nausea that had suddenly threatened to overwhelm him, and it helped clear the confusion clouding his mind.

He was aware of someone calling his name, of hurried footsteps behind him, of someone brushing past him and standing in front of him, blocking his way "Jackson?" What was he doing? He wasn't going to stop him leaving was he?

"Aaron! You don't have to talk to her, but you do have to talk to the police." Jackson could see just how badly shaken Aaron was by seeing his mother but he was going to have to get passed that somehow.

"Not now…"

"Yes now, you said yourself it was now or never."

"What's she doing here?" Suddenly Aaron wanted to know. It was strange them being here the same time they were.

"I don't know." He'd like an answer to that question himself.

Aaron's mind was in overdrive now, and he was suddenly suspicious of Jackson, "Did you tell Paddy we were coming?" Jackson could have phoned Paddy, texted him; he could have done that without him knowing.

"No of course I didn't."

"Then why are they here? It's got to be about me, it has to be."

"It could be about anything." Jackson reasoned, he was suspicious of their reasons for being there too but Aaron was spooked enough without him making things any worse.

"I bet she came to tell the police where they could find me!"

"No!" Jackson didn't believe that for one minute but the way Aaron viewed his mother he would believe her capable of anything. He knew he'd have to reason with Aaron knew he'd need time and some privacy to do that and had hurriedly asked Paddy to wait inside, to keep out of the way. He'd believed Paddy would honour that request, but out of the corner of his eye he could see the couple were now leaving the building. Jackson's gaze was now reluctantly drawn in their direction and he could see they were arguing, no not arguing, Paddy seemed to be trying to reason with his wife, trying to stop her from approaching her son but it seemed she was determined to do just that. Jackson had to wonder if she was stupid or just out and out selfish, he decided she was both.

Chastity's voice was loud and echoed off nearby walls and Jackson knew Aaron had heard her, he could see anger in the blue eyes and knew Aaron was about to direct that anger is his mothers direction.

"You'd better stay away from me, you'd better stay well away!"

Aaron had taken a menacing stance, had leaned in close to his mother and as he'd spat his warning had held a threatening finger just inches from her face. It unnerved Jackson, made him fearful of what Aaron might do and he caught hold of him arm and forced him to take a few steps back, Paddy equally as concerned had stepped between his wife and Aaron, but Chastity herself seemed unconcerned, sidestepping Paddy she again met Aaron's hate filled glare, determined to have her say,

"I'm sorry Aaron, I didn't know, I didn't know what your dad was doing I'm so sorry."

Realisation dawned on Aaron and Jackson simultaneously, she knew about the abuse.

Jackson's stomach turned over on itself, he'd inadvertently told Paddy about the abuse Aaron had suffered and had later gone on to tell him that Aaron had hit his father in self-defense, it seemed Paddy had then told his wife. That had to be why they were here! He could feel Aaron's eyes on him, he was going to have to look him in the eye and explain himself.

"You told him!" He didn't want to believe Jackson had betrayed him but he'd just had proof he had.

The hurt visible in Aaron's eyes tore at Jackson's heart, he was responsible for that pain, "I... I didn't mean to, we were arguing and ... I'm sorry!"

"I trusted you. I thought you were different but you're just like everyone else, you pretend to care but…"

"I do care, that's just it. I was trying to make Paddy see, make him understand the hurt your mum caused, the extent of the damage done by her leaving, it slipped out, I…"

Aaron suddenly tasted bile, his stomach now threatening to empty its contents, "What else did you tell him? What else just slipped out?" Jackson had given one of his long kept secrets away… what about the other one?

"Nothing I swear. Aaron listen to me, you have to hear me out…" He could see mistrust and suspicion in Aaron's eyes now, Aaron was looking at him the very same way he had the day he'd found him in Brier Beck. In the time since he'd earned Aaron's trust but today that trust had been shattered. What had he done?

"No. No I don't have to do anything. But you'd better get out my face."

Aaron's anger was directed at him now and it seemed that and the last few emotionally charged minutes hadn't gone unnoticed by the police, two uniformed officers were now standing nearby, seemingly keeping a watchful eye on the situation.

Spying them Aaron started to back away but before Jackson could reassure him Chastity had opened her mouth again.

"Aaron it's alright, the police know now, we told them, they just need to talk to you about…"

Aaron lunged towards his mother, getting right in her face to deliver his anger filled words, "You bitch! You fuckin' bitch!" She had no right going to the police; she had no right getting involved, she'd long since given up all her rights where he was concerned.

Both Jackson and Paddy moved to restrain Aaron but when he struggled against them the two police officers stepped in. Despite Jackson's pleas for him to calm down, Aaron struggled even harder against the police. Jackson was sure such a display of rage and aggression would go against Aaron, that the police might well believe his father over him.

tbc


	12. Chapter 12

Finders Keepers  
Chapter 12

In the end it had been one of the police officers who'd got through to Aaron, the threat of being pepper sprayed and handcuffed finally cooling his ire. He'd then reluctantly agreed to go inside and be questioned. As he'd walked towards the entrance door he'd made his feelings in regards the three people responsible for his anger quite clear, he'd glared at them and said "You'd all better stay the fuck away from me!"

Aaron didn't want any of them there but Jackson had no intentions of leaving, but believed Paddy and Chastity should make themselves scarce, and had angrily told them so. Emotions were running high all round and Chas has retaliated in kind asking him just who the hell he thought he was laying down the law to them, telling him he was nothing to Aaron, that Aaron just worked for him. Jackson had wanted to tell her just what Aaron did mean to him, exactly what they were to each other but because Aaron wasn't ready to declare his sexuality yet he'd instead said that Aaron saw him as a friend, that he trusted him ... he'd stung himself with those words, the fact was Aaron didn't trust him anymore, and wasn't likely to ever again.

Paddy had put a stop to their heated exchange saying arguing between themselves wasn't helping Aaron. That comment had shut both him and Chastity up instantly and with some order restored Paddy had explained their presence. Quite simply they had wanted the police to know that Aaron was the real victim in all this. Jackson could understand their reasoning, they thought they were helping Aaron and hopefully it would be of help, but where Aaron was concerned it was unwanted interference on their part, another blot on their copy book. Jackson knew it would just widen the rift between Aaron and his estranged family. Paddy had gone on to tell him the police were wanting to speak to him too, that they needed a statement. Jackson hadn't been expecting that, but knew it was something he had to do, but how would Aaron see it? As another betrayal of his trust?

The three of them had made their way into the reception area, while he had given his details to the duty sergeant, Paddy and Chastity had spoken to one of the officers who had accompanied Aaron into the station. Jackson could hear their conversation and was relieved when the officer advised them to leave, saying their presence was obviously distressing Aaron and that it might be best if they weren't there when the time came for him to leave. Paddy had turned to him then and asked if he would keep them informed of any developments. Didn't they realise just how difficult a position that put him in? Aaron wasn't going to agree to that and no way was he going to do it secretly, and anyway, if turned out that Aaron really didn't want anything more to do with him, he'd be as clueless as they were on the situation.

Half an hour passed before Jackson was called into an interview room, he'd had to tell the officer present how he'd met Aaron, recount the conversations they'd had about his relationship with his father, it was straightforward and was over in less than an hour and he felt sure he'd said all that needed saying, but would it help Aaron?

He'd returned to the waiting room and had sat near the exit door. Every now and again he'd get up and stretch his legs, walk over to a vending machine to get himself a hot drink. He felt so helpless, all he could do was hope Aaron was telling the police everything, and that ultimately he would be believed. How crushing a blow would it be for Aaron if the police did believe his father, if he was the one punished in some way? He found it difficult enough to put any faith or trust in any one as it was.

It was four hours now since it had all kicked off in the police station's car park, four long worry filled hours. Jackson was tired, hungry and in need of a shower but what he was mostly was concerned for Aaron, he was still giving a statement to the police. How long did it take for god's sake?

Jackson was just thinking about quizzing the duty sergeant about what was going on when Aaron stepped into the reception area. Jackson sprang to his feet anxious not only about how things had gone but also about Aaron's reaction to seeing him there.

"You're still here!" He hadn't dared hope that Jackson would be out here waiting for him.

Aaron looked and sounded more than a little surprised but there was no trace of anger in his voice much to Jackson's relief, "Of course I am." Did Aaron really think he wouldn't be."How did it go?"

Aaron wasn't prepared to talk about it there, not with so many people in earshot, he gestured towards the door and the two of them made their way outside.

"Aaron?"

"It went ok I suppose, they haven't charged me or anything."

Aaron sounded surprised about that too, but for Jackson it was a welcome sign that things were going Aaron's way, "What did you tell them?"

"Everything." Aaron shook his head, he couldn't quite believe he had, how it had all so easily tumbled off his tongue.

"Good, it had to be done Aaron."

"Did it?" He wasn't so sure about that, wasn't it a bit too late now? Maybe if he'd done it a few years back he'd have saved himself some grief but now? He'd put an end to it, escaped it, wouldn't it have been best to just forget about it because all he'd done by telling someone now was open up a can of worms.

"Yes! It has to be about you now, you have to do right by yourself."

"Yeah." He supposed he did, but he didn't much like how it made him feel.

"So what's going to happen now?"

"They're going to call my dad in for questioning, I've got to come back and speak to someone else and... it's just going to go on and on isn't it? I just want it over with Jackson."

"And it will be, Aaron you'll get through this... and you won't be doing it on your own."

"No?"

"No!"

" I thought you'd be long gone, you know after what I said to you." When he'd calmed down, when he'd started to think about what he'd said to Jackson he'd realised he'd been the one out of order. He wouldn't have blamed Jackson for leaving him there and forgetting all about him, Jackson deserved better from him.

"You had every right to be angry with me..."

"No. You were just trying to help me and that's all you've ever done. I was so mad at her that I couldn't see that."

"So we're ok?" It seemed they were but Jackson had to be sure.

"Better than ok."

There was a hint of a smile on Aaron's face, Jackson knew he'd meant what he said but was struggling with the whole situation. The urge to wrap his arms around Aaron, to physically comfort him was strong, but there were people milling about, and public displays of affection were a no-no where Aaron was concerned. It was going to have to wait, "C'mon let's get you home."

The flat wasn't all that far from the police station just the other side of town so they were soon getting out of the van and making their way to Jackson's ground floor flat.

As soon as the door was closed on the outside world Jackson reached for Aaron, pulling him close holding him tight, Aaron melted against him as he did so. Today had knocked the stuffing out of him, drained him emotionally, Jackson knew Aaron needed some downtime and he would make sure he got it. "How about you take a shower while I fix us something to eat?"

A shower sounded good, he was still in his work clothes, and they were caked in a layer of dust. He wasn't hungry, but he probably would be by the time he stepped out of the shower, "Yeah." He eased himself away from Jackson so he could look him in the eye, he wanted him to know he meant what he was about to say, "Thanks…"

"It won't be anything fancy, something on toast or…"

"No, I meant for today, for this last week… the best thing I ever did was break into that farmhouse!"

Jackson beamed at the comment before making a heartfelt one of his own, "Finders Keepers!"

/

Aaron hadn't mentioned his mother or Paddy and so Jackson was purposefully making no mention of them either. He wanted to keep the mood as it was, blissfully calm and relaxed. They'd spent what was left of their evening curled up together on the sofa, their date at the multiplex not forgotten just postponed. They'd put a DVD on but Aaron had dozed through most of it, he was exhausted but wouldn't admit it. The best place for him was bed and when 10 o'clock came Jackson nudged him awake, "C'mon sleeping beauty, your bed awaits!"

"I wasn't sleeping… I was just resting my eyes." Aaron protested lamely, he had been asleep, he couldn't keep awake, he was warm and comfortable in Jackson's arms, and there he felt so safe. Getting to his feet he looked over at his bedroom door, and then at the one next to it, any minute now Jackson would disappear behind it, turning around he caught hold of Jackson's hand, "I don't want to be on my own tonight."

"You won't be." Jackson promised as he wrapped his hand around Aaron's, kissing him tenderly before leading him to his bed.

tbc


	13. Chapter 13

Finders Keepers  
Chapter 13

Jackson's eyes flickered open to the early morning half-light, it gave his room a snug dreamy feel, one he was happy to luxuriate in for as long as was possible. Tightening his hold on Aaron he smiled to himself, he was happy, contented and that contentment was due to not waking up alone, to having someone sleep so soundly in his arms, someone he cared deeply about. He knew in his heart that Aaron was_ 'the one'_, and having acknowledged that the sense of loneliness that had plagued him for what seemed like forever was finally gone. He had found what had been missing in his life, and for the first time ever he felt whole, complete, and last night had confirmed that in Aaron he'd found what he'd been searching for, his soulmate.

Any reservations, any fear had been left at the bedroom door, and once in this bed all else had ceased to exist. Here they had shared in the fervour of passion, in the ecstasy, and finally in the ebb of the resulting elation. Only when Aaron succumbed to sleep did he too give in to the darkness. Aaron's shuttered eyes, his soft shallow breathing told Jackson he was still lost in that other world, and while he was Jackson was happy just to lie there and look at him. His gaze kept returning to and lingering on Aaron's lips, he wanted to taste them again, feel them against his own. Finally the urge proved a little too strong and he dropped a kiss on the object of his desire. He felt Aaron stir in his arms and eyed him expectantly, willing him to wake.

It seemed like forever before the blue eyes were looking back at him, he'd never thought of blue as a warm colour before but there was great warmth in this particular shade of blue. "Hi." Jackson knew he had the biggest daftest grin plastered across his face but he had no control of the happiness he felt right now, not that he wanted to hide it. Aaron responded instantly, giving him a heart melting smile in return. "You ok?" He didn't think for one minute that Aaron would have any regrets but for Aaron's sake he had to be sure.

"Yeah." Aaron knew what was behind Jackson's concern and could only think of one way to reassure him, and so kissed him before nestling further into his arms. He couldn't believe just how good it felt being here with Jackson or how good he now felt about himself. Last night had banished any remaining doubts, it had cleared his mind, breathed life into his soul, and as for his heart well it wasn't his anymore, it belonged to Jackson now.

How could he have ever thought something so mind-blowingly awesome was wrong? How could he have ever believed it was and he had for the longest time, ever since he'd had the first stirrings of feelings for another man. Fighting against those feelings had made him so unhappy, denying them had made him so much less than what he was. Since meeting Jackson he'd acknowledged and accepted them and last night had surrendered to them... the battle that had raged inside of him for years was finally over, but he'd not lost the fight... he had won.

"Good, cos the deli doesn't open until ten on a Sunday and I'm starving!"

"Oh?" Aaron feigned innocence as he eased himself out of Jackson's arms and rolled onto his back. The duvet was at waist level and he could see Jackson was now eyeing what was on offer, the hunger in those brown eyes set his heart racing in eager anticipation of what was to come.

"Yeah..." Jackson breathed as he reached for Aaron, his hand slipping purposefully below the duvet as his mouth worked its way over Aaron's neck, leisurely sucking and nibbling on his flesh.

/\\

According to Jackson, the Hotten Deli did the best ever breakfast bap. So with them both having worked up an appetite he'd volunteered to be the one to get dressed and make the ten minute walk to the deli. He'd taken some money from his wages, determined this would be his treat, not much of one but it was a start. Jackson had decided to give work a miss today, to give themselves some quality time together, and after they'd eaten they planned on going out somewhere, they hadn't decided where yet but that would be on him too.

The deli was just across the road from Bar West, the gay club Jackson had told him about, Aaron's gaze was drawn to the place. It was a favourite haunt of Jackson's, he said there was a great crowd there, that the place buzzed especially on a Friday night, and that he'd take him there when he was old enough. The 'when he was old enough' had rankled a bit, he didn't like being reminded that he wasn't eighteen yet. That birthday wasn't all that far off now, just five months in fact. What difference did five months make? None as far as he could see, but the club's owners seemed to think it did because if you weren't 18 you weren't allowed in, not even for a soft drink.

Aaron didn't think the club looked anything special from the outside, but still he was curious about it and eager to experience its atmosphere for himself. The deli didn't look anything special either but as for the smell emanating from it... his mouth had started watering 100 feet away. There was a small queue inside, and it was a good ten minutes before it was his turn to be served. As he finally made his way out of the shop someone was making their way in, the face was familiar, and the minute he realised who it was he too was recognised.

"Aaron!"

Aaron felt a wave of dismay wash over him and silently asked himself 'why him of all people?' He forced out a quiet "Hi," just to be civil and would have just carried on walking but Harley was now blocking the doorway and was seemingly in no hurry to move.

"How's Jackson?"

"He's fine." He suddenly felt awkward, he knew Harley was wanting to get back with Jackson but Jackson was with him now.

"You still staying at his?"

"Yeah." Harley was now eyeing the wrapped rolls he held in his hands, his inquisitive gaze then slowly moved to meet his but not before lingering on the love bite on his neck, Aaron knew Harley was now for some reason connecting the two.

"It's you isn't it?" Harley demanded angrily.

"What?" Not knowing how to deal with the situation Aaron decided to play for time.

"I knew it! The way he was looking at you... you're the real reason he broke up with me aren't you?"

"No!"

"Liar!" Harley spat scornfully.

Aaron wanted to say he'd only met Jackson last week but knew it was pointless, Harley would only believe what he wanted to believe right now.

"It won't last you know, he's easily bored and he'll get fed up of you like he has all the other men that's shared his bed."

Aaron knew it was jealousy and spite talking and he could ignore that but what he couldn't ignore was the attention Harley's raised voice had drawn, it seemed all eyes were on them, and he didn't like it. He shouldered his way past Harley, made his way out into the street, but Harley's voice carried after him, reeling off a list of reasons why his and Jackson's relationship wouldn't work, letting the whole world know he was gay in the process.

/\\

In Aaron's absence Jackson had changed the bed, and done a quick tidy up of the place. He was just washing up last night's dishes when he heard knocking on the door, expecting it to be Aaron he'd quickly opened it only to find a complete stranger standing there.

"Jackson Walsh?"

There was something about the man that made Jackson uneasy; he had a coldness about him, a hardness he didn't like. "Yeah."

"I want to talk to Aaron."

"He's not here." Even if Aaron had been there he'd have denied his presence, he had a bad feeling about this, was more than a little suspicious of the strangers interest in Aaron... something told him it was his dad! How the hell had he traced him here?

"You sure about that?"

The dark eyes bored into his, Jackson knew the menacing stare would intimidate most people, but not him, he just thought Livesy a poor excuse for a man. He could just imagine him laying in to his own son. "I should know."

"Yeah well… I'd like to see for myself!"

The stranger had just pushed his way into the hallway and was now opening doors and peering into every room; Jackson stood watching him, his anger steadily growing. "I told you he's not here!"

"Where is he?"

"I don't know!"

"I just want to talk to him."

"With your fists?"

"What?"

Jackson had to give Gordon Livsey credit, he was good, he looked suitable appalled at his comment. He must have somehow got wind about Aaron telling the police about the abuse and was now out to save his own neck. "Hoping to 'talk' him round are you? Beat some sense into him?"

"You what?"

"I know who you are, what you are!" That had earned him an angry glare, he'd definitely hit a nerve.

"You only know half the story. Aaron..."

"I don't want to hear it." Jackson snarled angrily, he wasn't going to listen to Livsey's lies.

"Just what is your problem?"

"You, you gutless bastard! You're the problem." Jackson hated violence but right now he longed for the satisfaction of punching Gordon Livesy, and goading him might just present him with an opportunity to do just that!

/\\

Jackson's flat was just off a quiet street, it was a nice area but parking was a bit of a problem, and true to form they'd had to park half a street away the evening before. Seeing the van, Aaron knew he was almost home, and he couldn't wait to get there, although he'd said very little to Harley and had somehow managed to keep his cool while he'd ranted at him, it had got to him, it had really unsettled him, and he needed to offload to Jackson.

On reaching the van his gaze was drawn to the vehicle parked in front of it. It was a breakdown truck, the one he'd seen in Emmerdale, there was no mistaking it not with Dingle Automotives blazoned on its doors.

What was it doing here? It didn't have something to do with him did it? A sudden eruption of anger coming from the direction of Jackson's flat told him that it did!

tbc


	14. Chapter 14

Finders Keepers  
Chapter 14

Aaron ran the remaining distance to the flat, finding the front door open and Jackson squaring up to some bloke. From what Jackson was saying it seemed he thought the other man was his dad! "Jackson?" Both men's attention turned to him, "He's not my dad!"

"He's not?" Jackson had somehow convinced himself he was. He eyed their uninvited guest questioningly, "Who is he then?"

Aaron shrugged, something told him he should know but he didn't.

"You don't remember me then?"

Jackson could actually hear some warmth in the stranger's voice now; there was obviously some connection between him and Aaron.

"Should I?" The man did look kind of familiar, he had to have seen him before but he couldn't remember doing so. The breakdown truck parked up the road told him he was a Dingle, but other than that he was clueless as to who he was.

"I'm your mum's brother..."

"She sent you!"

Jackson could see that Aaron was on the defensive now, any mention of his mother and up went the barricades.

"No. She doesn't know I'm here..."

"What do you want?" Aaron demanded his patience was fast running out.

"To talk..."

"About what?" Like he didn't already know.

"Your mum she..."

"I've told Paddy. I've told her, and now I'm telling you. I'm not interested, not in her; I don't want to know..."

"Maybe if you did know..."

"No! How many times do you want telling?" It seemed like every other day one of them was in his face, wanting to talk to him, wanting him to listen. They just couldn't seem to understand that nothing any of them said would change how he felt about his mother, he hated her and always would.

"You're angry at her. You don't want to know her, but what about the rest of your family, what have you got against us?"

"I might not know you but I know what the Dingle name stands for round here, what lowlifes you all are."

Jackson was taken aback by Aaron's contempt filled comment, was he deliberately baiting his uncle or what? The older man seemed unfazed, and Jackson realised that he'd probably been expecting some show of hostility from his nephew. When he did speak it was in a quiet even tone and it told Jackson that he was prepared to weather the storm just like Paddy was.

"I own the garage in Emmerdale; I live right next door to it. If you ever need anything..."

"I won't, and a Dingle would be the last person I'd go to if I did!" Aaron moved away from the doorway making it clear he wanted his uncle to leave.

Jackson couldn't help but feel disappointed by Aaron's response, he just wouldn't give an inch.

"As I was saying, if you ever need anything you know where I am."

Jackson liked the way Aaron's uncle had handled the situation, but it only seemed to have angered Aaron some more, as soon as the man stepped out into the street he slammed the door shut behind him, making his opinion of him clear…

"Knob!"

Jackson had thought him one too in the beginning, that and a lot of other things when he'd thought he was Gordon Livesy. He was seeing him differently now, he was also curious as to who else might have some interest in Aaron's welfare, even if it was a little late in the day. "You said you didn't have any other family."

"You wouldn't want that lot as family not if you knew them."

"But you don't them so how can you judge them?"

"I know all about them, my dad told me."

"And his view of them wasn't tainted in anyway? It could have been the bitterness he felt towards your mother talking."

"He never liked them!" His dad didn't like his mum seeing them, he could remember them arguing about that. "Jackson I thought you understood, I thought you were with me on this, I don't want anything to do with her or any of her family."

"I do understand, I..."

"Well drop it then, it's not important, and anyway... there's something I need to tell you."

"What?" Jackson was suddenly concerned, he could see that what ever it was it was troubling Aaron.

" I saw Harley."

"And?"

"He knows about us."

"You told him!" Now that was unexpected.

"No. He guessed."

"Guessed?"

"Yeah, well he just knew."

Jackson wasn't liking the sound of this, and Aaron's discomfort told him his conversation with Harley hadn't been an easy one. "What did he say?" Harley could be a bit of a drama queen at times and it didn't take much to set him off.

"What didn't he say and in a shop full if people... and then out on the street!"

So Harley had made a scene, and with Aaron still having one foot in the closet... "I'm sorry."

"No. I'm sorry. I should have stood there and put him straight but I didn't, I couldn't. I just wanted the ground to open and swallow me up ... everyone was looking at me, they had to know I was gay and knowing they did... " Aaron shrugged "I thought I'd got passed all that, but I haven't. "

Jackson could see just how disappointed Aaron was in himself, as far as he was concerned it was unjustified, "Things have happened really quickly, more or less overnight. I can understand your reaction to being so publically outed like that, and I know that if this happened three months down the line you'd handle it differently."

"I don't know about that."

"I do." Jackson knew all Aaron needed was some time. "You'll get there."

Jackson's confidence proved contagious, "Yeah," of course he would. That problem would sort itself out but as for Harley? Something told Aaron they hadn't heard the last of him, "Harley was really pissed off..."

"Well he's got no right to be. Me and him broke up months back. Who I see is no business of his and once he's calmed down he'll realise he was in the wrong, just like the night he came here and started shouting the odds. Forget about him..." His phone had just started ringing and as he pulled it from his pocket Jackson said "That's probably him now, he's realised what a prat he was and... it's Paddy!"

"Not again!"

"It'll be about the extension." It would almost certainly be about Aaron but dropping the extension into the mix would hopefully take the edge off Aaron's irritation.

"What about it?" It wasn't happening as far as he knew.

"He told me the job was mine if I still wanted it, to think about it and get back to him but..."

"It's good money." Aaron felt guilty about Jackson losing what would have been a lucrative job, if there was some way he could still do it then maybe...

"Yeah but it's not worth the hassle that will come with it. You're not going to want to work there. I'll have your mother bending my ear about you. No, I'm going to say thanks but no thanks."

"But all that stuff you had delivered."

"I've got an account with the supplier, they'll take it back. It's not a problem."

Aaron wasn't so sure about that but with Jackson so reluctant to take the job he didn't think there was any point in pushing him on it, "You'd better let him know your answer then." Not wanting to hear the conversation Aaron made his way into the kitchen, he switched on the kettle wanting a hot drink to go with his breakfast bap, which he'd just realised was probable stone cold by now, he didn't have much of an appetite now anyway.

When Jackson did finally join him in the kitchen, Aaron could tell by the look on his face that his conversation with Paddy hadn't gone the way it was expected too. "Did he give you a hard time?"

"No, he just wasn't prepared to take 'no' for an answer, he tried all ways to get me to take the job."

"Did he offer you more money?"

"No, he knows money's not the issue here."

"No I am!" And Jackson was slap bang in the middle of it all, it wasn't fair he was getting all this aggro, that he was out of pocket because of him. "So what did he say?"

"He said... " Jackson paused a little wary of Aaron's reaction "...Chas was willing go away for a week or so, and that he'd stay out of your face if we took the job ... "

"Yeah, like they would!" Aaron spat scornfully.

"He gave his word." Jackson was certain Paddy would have kept it too.

"But why would they do that?" Aaron couldn't reason it out.

"I suppose because it would mean they had some kind of contact with you, and that something might just change between you because of it."

"Well it wouldn't!" How stupid were they to even think it could?

"I knew you wouldn't go for it so I told him the answer was a definite no."

"Ok." Only it wasn't ok… "Jackson ring him back and tell him you changed your mind."

"What?"

"Tell him you'll do the job."

"No..."

"You can't afford to turn work away."

"Aaron…"

"Go on phone him; tell him we'll be there first thing in the morning."

"You haven't thought this through."

"I have, as long as I don't have to see her then it's fine." It was, no matter what Jackson said he knew he needed this job, he hated the thought of going back to Emmerdale whether his mother was there or not but he was going to have to.

tbc


	15. Chapter 15

Finders Keepers  
Chapter 15

Jackson studied the café's menu, it had a good lunchtime selection, mouth-wateringly good in fact, but he was going to have to settle on sandwiches. Aaron didn't want to eat here or at the pub, he was reluctant to stray far from the Smithy, was wary of running into his uncle or any family member for that matter. Jackson knew it was inevitable, that it was only a matter of time before he did.

His sandwiches were being freshly made and while he waited for them he thought over the morning so far. It had gone alright, work wise things were going smoothly and as for Aaron, well Paddy had kept out of his way and Chas was nowhere to be seen. According to Paddy his wife was staying with a friend in Manchester, and would only come home at weekends. Aaron seemed comfortable enough with the way things were but he himself just couldn't relax, he was expecting upset of some kind. If by some miracle the job went by the book they should be finished within a month, but in his experience things never went smoothly for long, something always went wrong, problems hit you out of nowhere. He'd been prepared for that and so had Paddy when they'd first discussed the work. But things were so very complicated on a personal level now, it was a tricky situation at best, one he just couldn't see working, not for long anyway, something was bound to happen between Aaron and Paddy or Chas should she show her face. He'd tried reasoning it all out with Aaron, but he'd been adamant he take the job, and weighed down by misgivings he'd reluctantly agreed.

As he'd stood there brooding he'd been vaguely aware of someone else entering the café. That someone was now standing next to him, he was a little taken aback to see it was Aaron's uncle, Cain. Aaron had remembered his name last night, had scornfully told him that the Dingle family were traditionally given biblical names. Jackson had realised he owed Cain an apology, although the man had barged into his home, Jackson considered himself to be the aggressor in this instance, he'd believed him to be Gordon Livesy and had been itching to hit him. If Aaron hadn't walked in when he did he would have done!

"Alright?"

It was a friendly enough greeting and Jackson realised that there didn't seem to be any hard feelings where the other man was concerned, that made him feel in even more need to apologise. "Yeah thanks. Look about yesterday, I'm sorry..."

"You were just looking out for Aaron."

"Yeah" He'd got carried away but basically that's what he'd been doing.

"He's here then?"

"On the condition he's left well alone." Jackson knew he had to make that point clear.

Gesturing over at an empty table Cain said, "You got a minute."

Jackson's first instinct was to say no, but he found himself more than a little interested in what Cain had to say. Like Aaron he was angry at the people who had been so starkly absent in his life but who now claimed to care about him. One minute Jackson thought they should be given the chance to prove themselves, the next he wasn't so sure they deserved that chance. Maybe Cain would say something that would help persuade him either way. Once seated Jackson eyed the other man expectantly, he hadn't better be wasting his time.

"His mum..."

"This shouldn't be about Aaron's mother it should be about him." The fact it always seemed to come back to Chas annoyed Jackson no end, it certainly wasn't what he'd wanted to hear now.

"It is about him! It's about him being out on his own when he doesn't need to be. "

"He's not on his own..." Jackson had to stop himself there, he'd been about to say Aaron had him now only he couldn't give any hint to the true nature of their relationship. He wasn't sure how Aaron felt about his family knowing, they'd not talked about that, but they were going to have to.

"Ok so he's got you, he's got a job, somewhere to stay because of you, but there's only so much you can do for him as a friend, he's just a kid and he needs his family..."

"He's been in need of his family ever since his mother walked out on him, where were you then? Where were you when he really needed you?" His anger was starting to get the better of him again.

"We weren't allowed any contact with him, none! You heard what Aaron said about us yesterday, who do you thinks been dripping that poison into his ear? His father's always looked down his nose at us and yeah, you'll hear stories about us, about me and most of them will be true but the Dingles aren't all bad. We take care of our own and Aaron would have been better off with any one of us than with that bastard. The law didn't see it that way though, not with a 'model citizen' like Livesy painting us so black."

Cain had just confirmed what Paddy had told him, and had also given him a little more insight into what had gone on. It angered Jackson knowing that things could have been so different. Aaron's mum and her family had tried to be a part of his life but Jackson still felt they hadn't tried hard enough and as for Aaron, "I don't know if Aaron will ever see any of you any differently."

"He's determined not to..."

"Can you blame him?"

"No. I know his anger's justified, Chas does too, but where's hating her getting him?"

Cain had him there, "It's not healthy I know and it's something he needs to work through, but its got to be in his own time, she can't expect him to just forgive and forget"

"She doesn't, that's just it. She's under no illusions where his feelings towards her are concerned, but that doesn't change how she feels about him. She was out of her mind with worry when the police came looking for him, when she knew he was missing, she didn't eat she didn't sleep. She's not the heartless bitch he thinks she is."

"And that's exactly how he sees her." Jackson coldly acknowledged.

"How about you?"

"What?"

"He looks up to you doesn't he, trusts you, so what you say can influence him..."

So that's what this was all about, "You want me to persuade him to your way of thinking, into believing his mother's worthy of a chance..."

"No. I'm just asking you to be fair, to be the voice of reason...

"I have been! Unlike Aaron, and you for that matter, I've got some insight to both sides, I can see the bigger picture and I think he needs to so he can make the right decision where his family are concerned."

"We're on the same page then."

"So it seems, but I don't think you should be getting in his face, you need to back off..."

"His mother has."

"And you?"

"It's you I'm talking to, not him."

"So you're going to keep your distance?"

"I'm going to play it by ear."

So he'd been right, Aaron's family were hoping him being in the village would somehow help change his view of them, Jackson couldn't see how it could work and he had his reservations, Aaron could well be hurt in the process, but then it could also be a positive experience, one Aaron would greatly benefit from. Jackson decided he was just going to have to see how things went, like Cain had just said... play it by ear.

/

Jackson had told him that he hadn't thought this out and he was right to a point. The fact was he hadn't realised just how long the job was going to take, for some reason he'd got it into his head that it would be just a couple of weeks. He hadn't been listening when Jackson had first talked it over with Paddy, he'd had no intentions of sticking around then, the job hadn't been of any importance to him. He probably wouldn't have pushed Jackson into taking it if he'd known it could take a month or even longer to complete, but however long it took he was going to have to stick it out now.

A skip had arrived in Jackson's absence and Aaron was busy tossing debris into it. Every now and again he'd eye the café, wondering what was taking Jackson so long. Aaron guessed he was talking to someone, that was the way he was, open and friendly, everyone seemed to like him. Pearl the receptionist had definitely taken a shine to Jackson, as well as keeping them supplied with tea she'd found plenty of time to chat with him.

He'd purposefully kept in the background, for one thing he wasn't the sociable creature Jackson was, and more to the point, he wasn't sure what Pearl knew about him. Pearl hadn't been there when he'd lost it with Paddy but the two of them seemed quite close, Paddy might have told her who he was and he didn't like the idea of her knowing, there was enough tension in the air as it was. Even though Paddy had kept his word and stayed well away from him just knowing he was around unsettled him, he'd not let on though, he didn't want Jackson knowing just how on edge he was. He hadn't thought past the work itself, he hadn't thought about the need to eat or to go to the loo, he thought he could just hide himself away at the back of the property, if only!

Hearing the surgery door open he glanced in its direction, seeing Paddy he looked away, to his relief Paddy got in his car and drove away. Just a few minutes later he heard the door open again, it was Pearl and she was making a bee-line for him. She wasn't going to have a go at him was she, stick her nose where it didn't belong? She was an old woman but he didn't think he could keep his cool with her for long, not if she started giving him grief where his mother was concerned.

"Aren't you boys stopping to have lunch?"

Aaron felt a pang of guilt, he was way too suspicious of people, "Yeah, Jackson's gone to get us something."

"Well I'm eating here today, I've got the kettle on so when you're ready bring your mugs in and I'll fill them up for you."

"Ok, thanks."

With still no sign of Jackson, Aaron went in search of the numerous mugs they'd used and then reluctantly made his way into the surgery, as much as he'd like to he knew he couldn't avoid talking to Pearl for ever. On seeing him she'd started chattering on, and he'd been happy to let her, but then the phone had started to ring and as she'd dealt with the call he'd realised the only way he was going to get a drink anytime soon was if he made it himself. He made for the kitchen but then suddenly remembered the dog he'd seen last time he was here. Curious as to whether he was still there or not he wandered through to the back room.

Paddy had been looking for a suitable home for the Alsatian but he'd obviously not found one because he was still here, was lying curled up in a large cage. The dog was soon eyeing him warily, but he wasn't baring his teeth at him this time, and because he wasn't warning him off Aaron moved closer, crouching down for a better look. He'd always wanted a dog, not some small yappy thing, no he'd wanted something big, something powerful, something that looked like a dog should look. This was just the sort of dog he'd wanted. Hearing Pearl enter the room he looked over at her and asked, "What's happening with him?"

"Paddy's going to put him to sleep."

"No!" No way was he going to let that happen.

tbc


	16. Chapter 16

Finders Keepers  
Chapter 16

Jackson was pleased to see the skip had been delivered, he was though, a little concerned to find no sign of Aaron, where the hell had he got to? He hadn't had words with Paddy and taken off had he? Anything could have happened in the time he'd been gone. Paddy's car was no longer parked in the driveway and Jackson reasoned he was out on the farm visits he'd earlier told him about. With Paddy gone maybe Aaron had ventured indoors, maybe Pearl had lured him inside with the promise of a slice of her lemon drizzle cake, he'd have happily downed tools too if offered that sweet treat. Only one way to find out...

He found Pearl at her desk, she had a serious air about her, one Jackson hadn't seen before, "Is everything ok?"

"I don't know what Paddy's going to say about this?"

Jackson knew the 'this' in question was somehow connected to Aaron, "About what?"

"Clyde."

"Clyde?" A picture of an orangutan suddenly formed in Jackson head.

"He's a dog Paddy's been trying desperately to re-home, he hasn't been able to and when I told Aaron he was going to have to be put down he said he'd have him."

"What?" Jackson couldn't believe his ears.

"I told him about his temperament, but I don't think he realises how unmanageable a dog he is."

"Where is he?"

"With the dog. You know I can't see Paddy agreeing to it."

Jackson couldn't either not that it mattered, he was going to have to say no to the idea anyway. He found his boyfriend feeding doggie treats to the Alsatian through the bars of the large cage he was being kept in. Aaron leapt to his feet on seeing him, more than a little eager to talk to him about the dog.

"That idiot's planning on putting him down tomorrow but we can have him at the flat can't we."

Aaron wasn't actually asking him if it was ok he was assuming it was, but Aaron was taking too much for granted here, "Aaron we can't have him at the flat..."

"He'll be no bother, he's house trained ..."

House trained or not, that wasn't the issue here, "My lease stipulates 'no pets'."

"But no one would know."

Jackson supposed they could get away with having a hamster but a dog that size? "Of course they would! And anyway, we're out all day working, he'd be on his own, it wouldn't be fair..."

"What's not fair is him being put to sleep, he's not ill, he's not old, he's done nothing wrong, he hasn't bitten anyone..."

"Not yet..."

"He won't Jackson! All that growling and stuff is just for show, to scare people off, he's just wary of strangers, and so would you be if you'd been treated the way he has. Once he's got used to you, when he knows you're not going to hurt him he's fine, he's alright with Paddy and look he's alright with me now."

Jackson wasn't so sure about that, something told him that if Aaron was to put his fingers through the bars of the cage it would be the last he saw of them. "Aaron I'm sorry but there's no way we can have him at the flat." He saw disbelief and then disappointment flash across Aaron's face and those emotions tugged at Jackson's conscience, but it was the look of anger that settled on Aaron's face that troubled him the most, "Aaron..."

"I'm not letting Paddy put him down!"

"You can't tell him what to do where that dog's concerned."

"Watch me!" Aaron snapped before striding from the room.

Jackson heaved an exasperated sigh, he'd been expecting trouble but hadn't for one minute expected a dog to be the cause of it! He decided to give Aaron a little time to calm down, hopefully then he'd be a bit more reasonable. As he walked back into the reception area Pearl gave him a sympathetic smile, she'd obviously heard what had gone on.

"Teenagers! They turn every little upset into a major drama."

"Yeah." He had to agree but then in Aaron's case he wasn't just throwing a strop over nothing, he could empathise with the dog and wanted to help him, being told he couldn't had to have come as a blow to him, the sense of unfairness and of helplessness proving a little too much for him.

"He'll realise it's for the best, he'd have to spend a lot of his free time with that dog and I doubt his girlfriend would like that."

"Girlfriend?"

"Well someone's been nibbling on his neck! A good-looking boy like that the girls must be queuing for miles. How about you?"

"Me?" Pearl's sudden interest in Aaron's and his love life had thrown Jackson.

"Are you spoken for?"

Jackson smiled at the term Pearl had used, it was something his granny used to say. He and Aaron were in a relationship, it was early days but he thought of them as a couple and would happily and proudly tell the world that but as for Aaron, he wasn't quite ready to do that yet so he was going to have to be careful what he said. He wasn't prepared to lie but he would be discreet. "Yeah."

"She's a lucky girl..."

"Pearl... two things, I'm the lucky one and she's a he, I'm gay."

"Oh! So, if I was fifty years younger you wouldn't be at all interested?"

Jackson knew Pearl had been more than a little surprised by his admission but she'd quickly got past that, her eyes were twinkling mischievously and he grinned at her good-natured teasing, "No, sorry."

"Well no matter what you say I think he's the lucky one!"

"Thanks." This time he would accept Pearl's endorsement with good grace. He wished Aaron had witnessed Pearl's reaction to finding out he was gay, it was yet another positive one and they far outweighed the negative reactions he'd received. Like Pearl most people were accepting and those that weren't didn't matter, whoever they were. Leaving Pearl to eat her lunch in peace Jackson made his way outside. He found Aaron sitting on the stone wall that skirted the property, heaving himself up beside him Jackson asked, "Are you ready to talk about this..."

"There's no point, you're not interested in the dog."

"That's not true..."

"You don't want him, you don't care what happens to him so..."

"I do care and it's not a matter of not wanting him... " actually if he was honest he wasn't all that keen on having the dog, any dog for that matter, it was a responsibility he didn't need right now, but if he'd been able to have him at the flat he knew he couldn't have said no to Aaron. "It's a matter of not being able to have him, and you sulking won't change that."

"I'm not sulking!"

"Yes you are, and you're planning on giving Paddy some grief about this too. How's that going to help the situation?"

"He's a vet, he's supposed to look after animals not kill them!"

"You know he's been trying to find a home for that dog, putting him to sleep is the last thing he wanted to do, it's not a decision he'll have made lightly. Aaron you can't use this to hit out at Paddy..."

"I'm not!"

"You sure about that? I think you'll end up shouting the odds and it won't be because of that Alsatian it will be because Paddy's married to your mum..."

"I don't care if he's married to her, more fool him... but that dog deserves a chance, Paddy needs to give him more time. I'm just going to tell him that."

"Tell him! How about you try asking him instead? How about you giving a little here even if it's just by keeping a civil tongue in your head."

"You mean be nice to him, suck up to him?"

"No that's not what I mean and you know it. I just think calm reasoning will prove much more effective than issuing demands. You need to think about what you're going to say..." Paddy's car had just swept around the corner and into the drive. Aaron attention was on that now and Jackson knew exactly what he was thinking, "Aaron you don't have to talk to him now, it can wait..."

"No it can't, the sooner this is sorted the better."

As Aaron slipped off the wall and made for the surgery door Jackson shook his head, they were only half way through the first day and right now it looked to be their last. He followed on behind Aaron dreading what was to come.

Paddy had been chatting to Pearl when they walked into the reception area, he'd had a smile on his face and had looked relaxed but that had all changed on seeing Aaron, the smile had faded and he'd visibly tensed, Jackson knew it was because he was expecting a verbal onslaught of some sort from his stepson.

"Everything alright?" Something told Paddy this unexpected visit wasn't to do with the extension.

"I want to talk to you about the dog."

Jackson had asked Aaron to be civil and to his relief that's exactly what he'd been.

"Dog?"

"Yeah the Alsatian you've got locked up on death row!"

Jackson cringed, Aaron had just snapped irritably at Paddy's lack of understanding, it hadn't taken long for him to lose patience.

Paddy gestured to the back room, "You'd better come through."

tbc


	17. Chapter 17

Finders Keepers  
Part 17

Paddy's gaze moved from the Alsatian to Aaron, the lad was eyeing him coldly, would he ever see him as anything other than the enemy? One day hopefully, but not anytime soon it seemed. Hopefully his interest in the dog wouldn't be the cause of another set-to, Aaron had a right mouth on him and he had to admit to finding the teenager quite menacing at times, he couldn't let him know that though, "Do you know someone who wants him."

"No, but someone will, it's just going to take a bit more time ..."

"He's been here a month."

"So?" He'd just snapped at Paddy again, the least thing set him off. He had to get a grip, he was determined to prove Jackson wrong or maybe that should be determined not to prove him right! He could so easily get in Paddy's face and tell him what he thought of him but that had nothing to do with the dog and he was going to have to remember that.

"In that month I've done all I can to re-home him, but once people know what's involved, the amount of time they're going to have to spend with him, the expense, they're not interested. The thing is I can't let this go on indefinitely, he has no quality of life as things are."

"Give it... I don't know, another month say?" He was thinking on his feet now, Jackson had been right, he should have put some thought into his argument, now he was saying the first thing that came into his head, and going off experience knew that wasn't always such a good thing, "We can't have him at the flat but we're going to be here working for a month, I'll walk him in the mornings as soon as I get here and again before I leave, I'll pay for his food."

"It's not that simple, he's classed as anti-social, his behaviour has to be addressed, and he could do with some obedience training too. We're talking a lot of time and money here and even then there's no guarantee he'll come out the other end any different to what he is now."

"He will." Aaron insisted, "I'll do all that with him..."

"And I'll help." The conversation between Aaron and Paddy wasn't going the way Jackson thought it would, he hadn't expected Aaron to take on so much where the dog was concerned, he had his reservations about that but had felt the need to offer his assistance. Aaron had shot him a look of gratitude but it was maybe a bit too soon for that, Paddy still needed to be convinced.

"What about the weekends?"

"I'll do it just the same."

"Your mum will be here."

He'd forgotten about that, but he wasn't about to let her presence stop him, "As long as she stays away from me it won't be a problem."

"Aaron..."

"Don't make this about her Paddy!" He'd not raised his voice on making that warning, he was trying here, he really was, he just hoped Jackson could see that.

Paddy bit back on what he'd been about to say, best he stick to the issue at hand, "What if we don't find a home for him? You'll have formed an attachment to him, you'll ..."

"We will find a home, I know we will."

Aaron seemed confident about that and Paddy wished he was as cocksure. His head, his practical, sensible, veterinary trained mind told him to say no to the idea, that it wasn't going to work, but his heart told him differently. He hated the idea of putting a physically healthy animal down, and he also knew this was an opportunity to get a little closer to Aaron, to gain his trust, and that was to be the deciding factor, "Ok. We'll agree on a month, and see how things go, but remember, you need to be prepared for any eventuality."

"Yeah, thanks." He never thought he'd be thanking Paddy for anything but hearing him agree to his idea had come as such a relief. Nothing had changed between them though, any contact he had with him would be because of the dog, nothing else.

/

Aaron was feeling pretty pleased with himself. He'd more or less got the result he'd wanted where Clyde was concerned, and he'd managed to contain his temper with Paddy, Jackson had been more than a little pleased by that. Jackson was also willing to muck in and help with Clyde, and he knew he was going to need help.

Work wise it was almost knocking off time and he couldn't wait, he was eager to walk Clyde, to get him out of that damn cage. Paddy had said he regularly took him out back 'to do his business' and that he walked him, securely muzzled, last thing every night when the village was deserted. Aaron hated the thought of that being Clyde's only taste of freedom and that even then it was at the end of a lead. He thought Paddy could have done more for the dog but Jackson had been quick to pull him up on that saying that it just wasn't practical for Paddy to get so personally involved, that in his opinion Paddy had already done more for the dog than he was obliged to do, and that he should remember that. He knew Jackson was right, he always was, and although that might grate on him at times he found he actually liked that about him, he liked the fact that he was so fair-minded, he'd like to be too but... he just wasn't!

He was again tossing waste into the skip and had full view of the surgery door. He wasn't at all surprised when it opened and Pearl stepped out through it with a mug of tea in each hand. It seemed she was on a personal mission to keep him and Jackson hydrated. It was working too, Jackson had just nipped indoors to the loo, and with him gone Aaron found he was the object of Pearl's interest.

"You talked him round then?"

"What?"

"Paddy! You got him to give Clyde a reprieve. He's such a big softie, too soft if you ask me, some people take adavantage of that fact."

Was Pearl having a pop at him? "That dog deserved a chance."

"I don't mean you. No I was talking about that wife of his."

Aaron knew he shouldn't be at all interested but he was "What do you mean?"

"Well she's gone away again, spending Paddy's money and leaving him to fend for himself. It's not on you know, he's a good man, he deserves better,"

"Yeah." He would agree with him deserving better.

"I hope she's not... well you know..."

No he didn't know. "You hope she's not what?"

"Well she's had affairs before and ..."

"She's cheated on Paddy?"

"Not since they've been married, well not as far as I know but when they were first courting she did the dirty on him. How he trusts her after that I don't know, not with temptation right on her doorstop."

Aaron wasn't liking what he was hearing but that didn't stop him wanting to know more, "Temptation?"

"Carl King! He only lives down the road. Chas left her first husband for him but it wasn't long before he was seeing someone else behind her back. She found out eventually and left him, ended up seeing Paddy but like a moth to a flame she couldn't keep away from Carl, and if you play with fire you are going to get burned..."

Aaron listened intently to Pearl detail events of his mother and Paddy's on-off romance, she was doing what all women did... gossip! He knew he shouldn't believe everything he heard but it all rang true. He hadn't thought it possible but he hated his mother even more now and as for this Carl King... he'd hated him without even knowing him. He'd been the faceless, nameless focus of his anger for so many years now. He'd wanted to punch Paddy when he'd thought him the cause of his parents breakup, he hadn't though he'd hit out elsewhere... Carl King wouldn't be so lucky.

tbc


	18. Chapter 18

Finders Keepers  
Part 18

Aaron had been quiet all evening and when Jackson had asked him if there was something wrong Aaron had blamed tiredness. Jackson knew the difference between being tired and being troubled and Aaron definitely had something on his mind, as he lay in bed waiting for Aaron to join him he decided to push him on it.

With Aaron finally snuggled up against him Jackson tightened his hold on him and said, "You're worrying about something, is it the dog?" Had Aaron realised he might have bitten off more than he could chew?

"No, why would I be?"

"There's a lot involved and..."

"I know what I'm doing Jackson."

Jackson didn't think Aaron realised just how big a commitment it was but his indignant tone was enough to tell him it wasn't the dog that was playing on his mind. "Is it Paddy then?" Jackson suspected Aaron's attitude towards Paddy was beginning to change, was he finding the slow thaw difficult to understand?

"Why would I worry about him? He's an idiot, he must be to..." What the hell was Paddy doing with his mother, he couldn't understand it, she'd betrayed him at least once and knowing her track record took her back leaving himself open to more of the same.

"To what? Aaron what is it? Tell me."

"It's just something Pearl said." He hadn't been able to forget about it, it had been going around and around in his head ever since.

Jackson liked Pearl, it was hard not to, she had a good heart. But in the very short time he'd known her he'd realised she was a terrible gossip, she'd given him a potted history of just about everyone in Emmerdale, he hadn't met any of the people concerned but he knew all about them. "What did she say about Paddy?"

"Nothing, not really."

"Then what..."

"It's what she said about my mum. Paddy wants his head looking at marrying her."

Chas had enough bad press as it was where Aaron was concerned, Jackson didn't like the idea of him hearing more,"What did Pearl say?"

"That she cheated on Paddy, and knowing that he still married her!"

Chastity Kirk had just sunk a little lower in Jackson's estimations, and had managed to disappoint and no doubt alienate her son still further with that revelation. Aaron was obviously struggling to understand Paddy's position in this and although he sounded anything but sympatheic where his stepfather was concerned Jackson was certain that wasn't the case, Aaron should be able to empathise with Paddy, Chas had hurt them both. "He obviously loves her and because he does I suppose he was able to forgive her. Whatever went on they've put it behind them and..."

"She'll do it again!" Aaron insisted, she just didn't seem to know when she was well off.

"You can't know that and Paddy must trust her else..."

"Like I said he's an idiot, it's just a matter of time." Pearl had said there was an ever present temptation and from what he knew about them, both his mum and Carl King deserved each other. He wasn't going to tell Jackson about Carl King, about his involvement in everything, he knew Jackson would be concerned if he knew the man lived in Emmerdale, that he would be worried about what might happen should the two of them come face to face. He'd love to lamp King one and given the chance he would but there were other ways of making him pay for what he'd done!

Jackson had to admit it was a possibility, one Paddy seemed able to live with, but Aaron had long since lost all trust in his mother, he couldn't forgive her actions or trust her because of them. Jackson had a great relationship with his own mother, they were really close and he hated the fact Aaron didn't have such a connection to any family member. Like he'd told Cain, Aaron had him but still he wanted him to have other people in his life too. What if something should happen to him or they broke up for some reason? Aaron would be on his own, he needed someone else he could turn to, and that was why he couldn't give up on the idea of helping Aaron build a few bridges where his family were concerned. "Well worrying about it now won't..."

"I'm not worrying about it, I just can't understand Paddy, he's stupider than he looks!"

Jackson smiled to himself in the darkness, Aaron could protest all he liked but he knew he was starting to like Paddy, to connect with him, and from what he knew of Paddy he thought it a good thing.

/

They had arrived at Emmerdale a little earlier than arranged, Aaron didn't want his walking Clyde to impinge on their work time. Whilst Jackson set up for the day, Aaron made his way to the surgery, it was way too early for Pearl to be there but Paddy had said he'd be up and around.

The surgery was lit up and the door unlocked and so Aaron made his way to the back room, there his gaze settled on the large cage Clyde had been kept in, it was empty. At first he was confused and looked around the room telling himself the dog had to be there somewhere... but he wasn't. His next thought was that Paddy had gone back on his word, that he'd decided to put the dog down. He suddenly felt sick but the nausea was quickly overwhelmed by something else, anger. He stormed through the living room and into the kitchen finding Paddy sitting at the table.

"You bastard, you fuckin' bastard!"

"Aaron!" It wasn't the first time the boy had hurled abuse at him and probably wouldn't be the last, but it coming so unexpectedly really took Paddy aback, what had he done now to get such a reaction?

"As soon as I turned my back you..." Aaron paused as his attention was drawn to the corner of the room, there curled up on a blanket was the Alsatian.

"I what?"

Aaron gestured towards the dog, "He wasn't in the cage and... " he'd immediately thought the worst of the situation and of Paddy.

"I thought it would help him being in here, in a home environment where he had some supervised freedom."

"I... I thought you'd got rid..." Aaron felt awful now, he hadn't stopped to think he'd just gone off on one, any excuse and he'd let rip at Paddy. "Sorry."

Paddy couldn't quite believe he'd got an apology off Aaron, it was a genuine one too he could see the lad regretted his outburst. It was a good sign, an indication things were slowly changing where the two of them were concerned, at least he wanted to think they were. "I agreed to give things another month."

"Yeah I know but..." no, he wasn't going to explain himself

"You can trust me Aaron..."

"Where's his lead?" Aaron quickly interrupted the other man, he didn't want to get drawn into that topic of conversation. "I'll take him for a walk now."

Paddy had expected some scorn filled reply to his words but took the fact they were ignored as another positive sign, things were definitely looking a lot more promising. Pointing to where he'd placed the lead Paddy said "It's there with the muzzle..."

"He doesn't need that thing." He'd held his tongue on the matter the evening before but he found he couldn't now.

"He doesn't go for a walk then." Paddy stated firmly, he wouldn't be swayed on that matter.

"I'm not taking him into the village just along..."

"Wherever you take him he has to be muzzled, if he bites anyone he will have to be put down, do you want to risk that happening?"

"No." Of course he didn't but he really didn't think Clyde would bite anyone plus there wasn't much chance of anyone walking along the Hotten road at this time of the morning. He watched as Paddy put the muzzle on dog, he didn't seem at all bothered by it, in fact his tail had started to wag and Paddy was quick to point that out to him,

"See? It doesn't hurt him and he associates it with 'walkies' now."

"Walkies!" Aaron shook his head, didn't Paddy know how stupid he sounded, that was something old women said when they were taking their pampered pooches out, he really was a nerd.

/

Midmorning and they were on an enforced tea-break, Pearl having served up tea and cake.

"I'll be piling on the pounds at this rate..." Jackson patted his stomach "but then there'd be more of me to love!" Jackson grinned.

Aaron laughed at the comment but it had had him think, Jackson had said the word love and Aaron knew he'd used it loosely only his feelings for Jackson were so strong... was it love? It couldn't be could it? It didn't happen that fast did it? He didn't know, he just knew they cared about each other, wanted to be together, were happy together, that it all felt so right... only there was something wrong, he still hadn't come out not properly, he was still to take that step. So what did he do? Tell the postman, have him spread the word! He could always snog Jackson in the middle of a crowded street somewhere... then again no, he knew he'd never have the balls to do that! He was pleased to find he could make light of it all now though, his sexuality was no longer a shameful secret, it was a truth he'd accepted but not yet shared.

As they'd downed the last of their tea, Jackson's phone began to ring, to Aaron's dismay the call was him, and his upbeat mood was instantly shattered. The last thing he wanted was to go to the police station, to speak to some specialist officer or whatever it was they called themselves, he tried telling them he was working, that he was too busy but Jackson insisted he could manage and so he reluctantly agreed to go there that afternoon. Jackson said he'd run him into town but he wanted to take the bus, he wanted a little time to himself. He'd more or less pushed all the crap with his dad to the back of his mind, now he needed to gear himself up to talking about him.

/

There was a bus stop right opposite the police station but he'd got off a few stops later, wanting to delay the inevitable for as long as he could.

As he walked in the direction of the police station he started to feel nervous, he hated the idea of going through everything all over again and to yet another stranger, he couldn't understand why they had to draw things out. Cars were passing him in both directions, he was taking little notice of them even when one slowed down and stopped alongside of him, if he'd have looked at it he would have recognised it instantly and he'd have had a bit more time to react but he hadn't and the familiar voice coming from it caught him unawares,

"Aaron!"

His father didn't look or sound at all angry and after a few seconds hesitation Aaron asked, "What do you want?"

"I just want to talk to you, so come on son, get in the car."

tbc


	19. Chapter 19

Finders Keepers

Chapter 19

Jackson had found it hard to concentrate on his work, Aaron was never far from his thoughts at any given time but knowing where he was now and why had him worrying over him. Aaron had been so reluctant to go, was obviously anxious about talking to yet another police officer, and so he had offered to go with him but Aaron had told him he was a big boy and didn't need someone holding his hand. Of course he didn't but it might have helped knowing someone who cared about him was nearby, that he was there for him. He'd have felt better about it all too if he was there, after all he'd encouraged, pushed Aaron into going to the police in the first place, he should be supporting him all through the process.

Somehow he'd ended up in the kitchen with Paddy, and they were now sitting chatting over a mug of tea, the conversation had inevitably turned to Aaron.

"Is there anything he needs? Money maybe?"

"No, I don't think so."

"How about you, you're putting him up, feeding him..."

"He's working for me, earning, he pays his way." Jackson was finding this line of chat so very awkward, he wanted to be honest with Paddy, tell him how it really was because he'd just made it sound like Aaron was little more than a lodger when in reality they shared a bed.

"Well if there's ever a problem we've a room all ready for him, it has been for the past four years."

"Oh?" Jackson wanted to hear more about that even though he couldn't imagine Aaron ever moving into the Smithy.

"With us getting married Chas realised she had more chance of gaining access to Aaron, she managed to convince herself a stable home life would make all the difference, so she did the room up for him, she's kept it aired, ready for use, she's never really given up on the idea he'd one day come to think of it as his. When Gordon came here looking for Aaron I think it gave her renewed hope."

"So he was actually expecting to find Aaron here?"

"I think he thought there was a chance he might be here, that our attempts to 'get to Aaron' as he called it, had finally worked. It's laughable really because over the years he's made damn sure his mother was the last person Aaron would turn to if he needed help. Aaron didn't even know where his mum lived did he?"

"No."

"Gordon's always known where she was, Chas made sure of that, she didn't just walk out that day and forget all about her son. Chas wanted to see him, she wanted to be in his life but Gordon made it difficult at first and later on impossible, it was his way of punishing her but it impacted on Aaron too. You know all the birthday and the Christmas presents, all the letters she wrote to Aaron were sent back to her unopened, they're up in his room. She really did try Jackson. Carl, the man Chas left Gordon for told her he'd help fight for Aaron, but he has little time for his own kids let alone someone else's, he just didn't give a damn about her son, unfortunately it took Chas a long time to realise that. "

"Is that what came between them?" He was learning a lot of back history now, he believed it was all stuff Aaron should be aware of whether it changed his opinion of his mother or not.

"In the end yes, she'd forgiven him for having an affair but she couldn't understand or forgive him for not supporting her where Aaron was concerned."

Aaron's dad, this Carl bloke, they both seem to have played a role in keeping mother and son apart and all for their own selfish reasons. Aaron should have been the priority here but clearly he hadn't been. As for Paddy, it seemed he'd been willing to do anything for a kid he didn't know, and he was quietly taking all the crap Aaron hurled at him now. Jackson liked and respected him for that, for the very fact he had Aaron's best interests at heart, and because of that he was eager for the relationship to develop into something more... but then how did he know for sure that Paddy wouldn't let Aaron down at some point too. "Paddy, you and Aaron..."

"I don't think he hates me quite as much as he did last week!"

Although Paddy had a smile on his face and seemed to be making light of the situation Jackson knew the comment had been made in all seriousness, "I don't think he does either, and that's why I need to be sure that this is about him and not just to keep his mother happy."

"Is that what you think?"

"No, but where Aaron's concerned I..." he bit back on his words, he'd been going to say that he didn't want Aaron hurt, that he'd do anything to protect him but had realised that it might make Paddy suspicious of his and Aaron's relationship, and if Paddy started questioning it he wouldn't be able to deny what they were to each other and that needed to come from Aaron, "I just think that if someone else was to let him down..."

"I'm not going to let him down Jackson, I love Chas and he's a part of her so how can I not care about him? I'm his stepfather, I'd like that to actually mean something to Aaron, for him to see me as someone he can depend on, someone he can trust. You know it worries me that all he's got to measure a man by is Gordon and his treatment of him, what has that taught him about the world and his place in it? Nothing good!"

"No, and because of him he'll keep on pushing you away."

"But he hasn't pushed you away has he? He let you in, he trusts you."

Jackson wasn't sure how best to respond to Paddy's comment and was relieved when his phone started to ring, it was a timely diversion but as it turned out a troubling one. Ending the call he eyed a now worried looking Paddy.

"What's happened?"

"That was the officer Aaron was supposed to be talking to today, he didn't turn up and he hasn't rang to cancel. Where the hell is he Paddy?"

tbc


End file.
